ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will rule out amending to 15 per cent. the Government's 2010 target for reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The Government today published for consultation its draft National Allocation Plan for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. In doing so, we reaffirmed our commitment to our domestic goal to move towards a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide of 20 per cent. on 1990 levels by 2010.
	The UK Climate Change Programme sets out the policy framework to ensure that we meet our Kyoto target and move towards the domestic goal. We are committed to reviewing the Programme this year, which will provide an opportunity to introduce new policies and measures, or to strengthen existing ones, if the conclusion is that more needs to be done to achieve the domestic goal.

Montreal Protocol

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department is working to ensure that the UK fulfils its obligations under the Montreal Protocol.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The UK signed and ratified the Montreal Protocol in 1987, and has since ratified the four other amendments, London (1990) Copenhagen (1992) Montreal (1997) and Beijing (1999). The Community has implemented its obligations under the Montreal Protocol through EC Regulation 2037/2000, which is directly applicable in UK law. This Regulation has put in place an accelerated phase-out programme on the supply and use of ozone depleting substances, as EU member states were keen to move faster than the Protocol. A statutory Instrument has been introduced which creates offences and sets penalties for any breaches of the ozone regulation.

Nuclear Energy

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the audited amount of (a) plutonium and (b) uranium at each nuclear energy facility which was unaccounted for in each year since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.
	In accordance with international practice, the inventory difference that occurs when the result of a physical inventory of nuclear material is compared with the book inventory is referred to as MUF ('material unaccounted for'). The difference may be negative (an apparent loss) or positive (an apparent gain). MUF is a recognised feature of accounting for nuclear material and is caused primarily by the uncertainties inherent in the techniques used to measure nuclear material. MUF figures at UKAEA, BNFL and Urenco sites are published annually by the industry. Copies of the figures published since 1997 have been placed in the Library of the House. There is no evidence to suggest that there have been any real losses or gains of nuclear material.

Oral Statements

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she has made no oral statement to the House on an environmental matter since July 2002.

Margaret Beckett: I take very seriously the importance of keeping the House properly informed across the whole range of my broad portfolio of responsibilities.

Packaging Waste

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003 were not published until 14 January; and if she will delay their entry into force.

Elliot Morley: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 were not published until 14 January due to delays caused by the Christmas holiday period. However, the Regulations came into force on 1 January 2004, as intended.

Protected Species

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the criteria are for designating a wild species of animal as protected.

Ben Bradshaw: Every five years the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) advises Government on which animals should be legally protected by listing on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. JNCC reported to Government with its recommendations in September 2002, which included full protection for this species. The next stage is for Government to conduct a public consultation based on these recommendations, which will occur in spring 2004. Following this consultation, the Secretary of State will decide on the changes to be made to the schedules and these will be implemented by Statutory Instrument.
	For a species to be recommended for scheduling one of the eligibility criteria in each of the Sections A to D below should be met:
	A. Generally, only native (including re-established) taxa are to be considered. Taxa introduced or thought to be introduced to Great Britain by man could be considered exceptionally, with the following provisos.
	(i) the organism is endangered or extinct in its native range, and
	(ii) preferably, the natural range reaches the north west coast of Europe (i.e. continental distribution extends to the Atlantic coast of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany or Scandinavia; for marine taxa, the distribution includes the north west Atlantic area), and provided that
	(iii) information suggests that the organism is unlikely to have an adverse impact on important native species or ecosystems.
	B. The taxon must be either:
	(i) established in the wild in Great Britain; or
	(ii) occur as a vagrant in Great Britain and require international protection; or
	(iii) be believed extinct in Great Britain as a breeding species, but be in the process of re-establishment; or
	(iv) be believed extinct in Great Britain, but with the possibility that it could become re-established naturally.
	C. The taxonomic status of the organism must be well authenticated. Taxa below the species level could be considered, providing they are:
	(i) clearly recognisable (i.e. morphologically distinct), and
	(ii) geographically or ecologically distinct.
	D. The taxon must be endangered in Great Britain, or likely to become so unless conservation measures are taken, and/or be subject to an international obligation for protection. One or more of the following may indicate that a taxon is or may become endangered:
	(i) it is included in a JNCC-approved British Red Data Book as Extinct, Endangered or Vulnerable (or, in Red Lists drawn up using the recently revised IUCN criteria, as Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable)]
	(ii) it has been well searched for but is known from only a single locality;
	(iii) it is confined to a particularly threatened habitat. The extent or quality of the habitat is being significantly reduced or is likely to become significantly reduced, thus threatening the survival of the organism;
	(iv) it is rapidly declining in population, number of localities occupied or range. Indicative would be at least 50 per cent. decline observed, estimated inferred or suspected in the last 20 years, or a decline of at least 50 per cent. projected, inferred or suspected to be likely in the near future. The decline must transcend normal fluctuations;
	(v) it is endangered, or likely to become endangered through being targeted for exploitation or killing for commercial reasons and/or through being particularly attractive to collectors.
	International obligations apply to a taxon which is:
	(vi) naturally resident and listed on Appendices I, II or III of the Bern Convention; Annexes II, IV or V of the EC Habitats and Species Directive; Appendix I of the Bonn Convention (unless derogations are in force); and/or endemic to Great Britain and included in a JNCC-approved British Red List.

TRANSPORT

Drink-driving

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has undertaken of the impact on drink-related accidents of lowering the legal limit of alcohol for drivers from 80 mg to 50 mg; and for what reasons he has not introduced a lower alcohol in blood limit.

David Jamieson: The Government considers that strengthened enforcement of existing controls, combined with publicity and education, is the appropriate basis for dealing with drink-drive accidents and casualties. The Government carried out an analysis of the possible savings in road traffic casualties from a reduction in the legal alcohol limit for the purposes of the 1998 consultation document "Combating Drink Driving: Next Steps", a copy of which is in the House Library. This estimated that a reduction in the limit to 50mg/100ml could save around 50 fatalities per year, but was based on a number of assumptions about accident causation and individual driver compliance. We have also considered more recent published research into the potential impact of lowering the limit, the results of which appear to be inconclusive.

Shipping

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities of employees of shipping companies there were in each year since 1997, broken down by company.

David Jamieson: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), a separate branch within the DfT, records injuries and fatalities to crew of UK vessels.
	Regulation 9(1)(e) of The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 1999 has the effect of preventing the disclosure, for any purpose other than the investigation, of any report of an accident provided to the MAIB, including the names of the ship owners. However, where an investigation has been ordered by the Chief Inspector, regulation 10 provides that a report is to be made publicly available. The following table therefore shows figures only for injuries and fatalities to crew of UK registered merchant vessels for which investigations have been concluded and a report published, as at 16 January 2004.
	
		
			 Owner Name (a) Injuries (b) Fatalities 
		
		
			 1997   
			 Alderney Shipping Co Ltd.  1 
			 J. R. Rix and Sons Ltd.  1 
			 Lowline Ltd. 6  
			 Orcargo  1 
			 Princess Cruises Inc. 1  
			 Vector Offshore Ltd. 1  
			 Viking Standby Ltd. 1  
			 Total 9 3 
			
			 1998   
			 P&O European Ferries 2 1 
			 P&O Stena Line Ltd.  1 
			 Total 2 2 
			
			 1999   
			 RFA  1 
			 Lowline Ltd.  1 
			 Nomis Shipping Ltd. 2  
			 Total 2 2 
			
			 2000   
			 P&O European Ferries 2  
			 P&O Stena Line Ltd. 1  
			 P&O Stena Line Shipmanagement Ltd. 4  
			 Shetlands Islands Council  1 
			 Total 7 1 
			
			 2001   
			 Eidesvik Shipping UK Ltd.  1 
			 Princess Cruises  1 
			 Turk Phoenix Ltd.  1 
			 Total  3 
			 2002   
			 Cunard Line Ltd. 1 1 
			 P&O North Sea Ferries Ltd. 1  
			 Total 1 1 
			
			 2003   
			 Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd.  1 
			 Total 1 0 
		
	
	Note:
	1. Accidents to shore based workers onboard ships in port/drydock are reported to HSE, not MAIB.
	2. There is no general requirement for foreign flagged vessels, even in UK waters, to report onboard accidents to personnel to UK authorities.

Shipping

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities to workers on ships there were in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: Figures for the number of crew killed and injured on UK registered merchant vessels, reported to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of DfT by 15 January 2004, are as follows:
	
		
			  Killed Injured 
		
		
			 1997 5 329 
			 1998 2 320 
			 1999 4 278 
			 2000 3 305 
			 2001 3 287 
			 2002 5 301 
			 2003 2 261 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Accidents to shore based workers on board ships in port/dry dock are reported to HSE, not MAIB.
	2. There is no general requirement for foreign flagged vessels, even in UK waters, to report on-board accidents to personnel to UK authorities.
	3. The number of UK flagged merchant vessels increased by more than 20 per cent. between 2001 and 2003.

Shipping

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions, in each year since 1990, powers to direct a ship to leave UK waters have been used, giving in each case the reason for the direction.

David Jamieson: The powers to direct a ship to leave UK waters have only been used on one occasion. On 19 July 1999, a direction was issued to the MV Rainbow Warrior for the purpose of securing the safety of the ship and of other ships, persons on the ship and other ships, and other persons and property.

Aviation

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further sanctions are available to his Department to recover fines where an airline has been banned from United Kingdom airspace due to non-payment of fines.

Tony McNulty: The recovery of charges due under Carriers Liability legislation in respect of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom without the required documents is the responsibility of the Home Office. Such charges may be recoverable through the courts as a debt. However, if a carrier was not operating to the United Kingdom, the enforceability of a court's judgment would be a relevant consideration in deciding whether to pursue this course.

Aviation

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reduce the charges levied on users of British airspace as a result of the transfer of responsibility for aviation safety regulation from the UK CAA to the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Tony McNulty: Regulation (EC) No. 1592/2002, establishing the European Aviation Safety Agency, applies to the design, production, and airworthiness of aircraft and aircraft products, together with associated personnel and organisations. It has no bearing on the way British airspace is managed or the charges levied with respect to the use of British airspace.
	The Agency took up its safety regulatory duties on 28 September 2003, and for the time being, has authorised national aviation administrations, including the UK CAA, to carry out tasks on its behalf under national charging schemes. Until the Agency has established its own staff and processes, including a Regulation on fees and charges, we cannot estimate the precise effect on the work of the CAA. The CAA intends to review with UK industry the impact that EASA will have on the costs of its Safety Regulation Group and the associated charges to UK industry.

Bus Travel

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans to work with the Office of Fair Trading to clarify the position on the ability of bus companies and local authorities to offer through ticketing arrangements permitting cross-boundary travel by encouraging reciprocal arrangements.

Tony McNulty: These matters are regularly discussed between my right hon. Friend and the Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Car Insurance

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people driving on roads in England and Wales without adequate insurance cover in each of the last five years and (b) trends in driving without insurance in recent years.

David Jamieson: Current estimates from the insurance industry are that there are about 1.25 million motorists driving while uninsured. No estimates are available for earlier years. Figures for convictions for uninsured driving show an average yearly increase of 1.2 per cent. since 1998.

Car Insurance

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to the insurance premium holder in each of the last five years of driving without insurance.

David Jamieson: For the year 2002 the cost to each motorist's insurance premium is estimated at between £15 and £30. However, no figures are available for previous years.

Flight Paths

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued to airlines in respect of flight paths that take commercial aircraft above 30,000 feet.

Tony McNulty: The Department has not issued any guidance. When designing air traffic services routes, airspace planners are bound by the provisions of guidance material contained in the ICAO Air Traffic Services Planning Manual—Doc. 9426. In addition, the operational approval and aircraft certification given by the Civil Aviation Authority to aircraft operators covers the operation of aircraft at all phases of flight at any level.

Flight Paths

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what environmental assessment has been made of the (a) benefits and (b) disbenefits of commercial aircraft flying at (i) 20,000, (ii) 25,000, (iii) 30,000 and (iv) 35,000 feet.

Tony McNulty: No specific assessment has been made of the benefits and disbenefits of flight at these altitudes. However, research jointly undertaken by DLR (the German aerospace agency) and Manchester Metropolitan University within the European research project, TRADEOFF, looked at the hypothetical impact of reducing cruise altitudes on contrail coverage and its radiative forcing (a measure of the climate impact), as well as the effect of increased fuel consumption (and hence CO 2 emissions). The research concluded that flying at lower cruise altitudes reduced contrail formation but increased fuel consumption.
	Any detailed assessment would have to explore these trade-offs further. The research was not intended to suggest changes in operating practices, which would need full international agreement.

Kazahkstan (Air Transport)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to argue, in his discussions with the Government of Kazahkstan, that a charter service from Uralsk to Amsterdam cannot be considered as a replacement for a service from Uralsk to London; what recent discussions he has had on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 14 January 2004, Official Report, column 745W.
	We are pursuing this matter with the Kazakh Government. Our objective is to ensure that the services offered by airlines meet passenger demands and that no unreasonable obstacles are put in the way of those services.

Lower Airspace Radar Service

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  why he has initiated a regulatory impact assessment on the funding of his Lower Airspace Radar Service; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to charge general aviation users for the Lower Airspace Radar Service.

Tony McNulty: The Secretary of State has not initiated a regulatory impact assessment on this matter as funding of the Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) is the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) through its Directorate of Airspace Policy.
	I understand that the CAA will shortly be issuing a consultation document setting out the options for the future funding of the service.

Roads

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the proportion of congestion on roads in England and Wales which is caused by poorly planned and lengthy street works carried out (a) by utilities and (b) by or on behalf of highway authorities.

David Jamieson: holding answer 5 January 2004
	The Department does not hold figures for the proportion of congestion cause by street works that are poorly planned or lengthy, whether carried out by utilities or highway authorities. However, Transport Research Laboratory figures indicate that all types of road and utility works cause around 10 per cent. of congestion on the Highways Agency's Trunk Road and Motorway system. The proportion of this carried out by Utility Companies is under 2 per cent.
	The Department does not hold equivalent figures for local roads. Relatively little utility apparatus is located under motorways and trunk roads. Therefore, congestion caused by utility works on local authority roads will be significantly higher than the equivalent figure for Highways Agency roads given above.

Roads

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the Highways Agency's budget was spent on road maintenance projects in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003.

David Jamieson: The proportion spent in 2002–03 and forecast to be spent in 2003–04 is about 46 per cent.

Roads

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what major improvements are planned to the trunk road network.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency's Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI) to the trunk road and motorway network currently comprises 72 schemes each costing more than £5 million. These are:
	A1(M) Ferrybridge—Hook Moor (under construction)
	A1(M) Wetherby—Walshford (under construction)
	A2—Cobham Phase 1 (under construction)
	A2 Bean—Cobham Phase 2
	A2/A282 Dartford Improvement
	A5 Weeford—Fazeley Improvement
	A10 Wadesmill Colliers End (under construction)
	A14 Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction
	A21 Lamberhurst Bypass (under construction)
	A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement (under construction)
	A63 Selby By-pass (under construction) A120 Stansted—Braintree Improvement (under construction)
	A249 Iwade—Queenborough Improvement
	A303 Stonehenge
	A421 Great Barford By-pass
	A500 City Road and Stoke Junction Improvement
	M25 J12–15 Widening (under construction)
	M60 J5–8 Widening (under construction)
	Al 1 Attleborough By-pass
	All Fiveways—Thetford Improvement
	A47 Thorney By-pass
	M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill extension
	A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction
	A14 Haughley New St—Stowmarket Improvement
	A3 Hindhead Improvement
	A38 Dobwalls By-pass
	A595 Parton—Lillyhall Improvement
	Al Peterborough—Blyth Grade Separated Junctions
	M62 Junction 6 Improvement
	A46 Newark—Widmerpool Improvement
	A30 Bodmin Indian Queens
	A483 Pant—Llanymynech Bypass
	A5117/A550 Deeside Park Junctions Improvement
	A419 Blunsdon
	A66 Temple Sowerby and Improvement at Winderwath
	AI Dishforth to Leeming
	Al Bramham—Wetherby (Including Wetherby By-pass)
	Al Leeming to Barton
	A64 Rillington By-pass
	M40/A404 Handy Cross Junction Improvement
	A47 Blofield to North Burlingham Dualling
	A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Improvement
	A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement
	A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement
	A3O/A3 82 Merrymeet Junction
	A66 Long Newton Junction
	Al Stannington Junction (under construction)
	A69 Haydon Bridge By-pass
	A419 Commonhead Junction
	M4 Junction 18 Eastbound Diverge
	M5 Junctions 17–18 Northbound Climbing Lane
	M5 Junctions 19–20 Southbound Climbing Lane
	M5 Junctions 19–20 Northbound Climbing Lane
	Ml Junction 19
	A14 Ellington— Fen Ditton Improvement
	A57/A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwistle By-pass
	A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement
	Ml Junction 6a to 10 Widening
	Ml Junction 10 to 13 Widening
	Al Morpeth to Felton Dualling
	Al Adderstone to Belford Dualling
	A1/A19/A106 8 Seaton Burn Junction Improvement
	A19/A184 Testos Grade Separated Junction
	A505 Dunstable Northern Bypass (A5 to Ml Link)
	A421 Bedford to Ml Junction 13
	A21 Tonbridge to Pembury
	M40 Junction 15 (Longbridge)
	A64 Colton Lane Grade Separated Junction A590 High and Low Newton By-pass
	M20 Junction 10A
	A30 Garland Cross to Chiverton Cross
	A30 Temple to Higher Carblake Improvement

Speed Cameras

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how sums of money raised in fines from speed cameras in Essex which have exceeded the totals spent on purchasing and operating speed cameras in Essex have been spent in each of the five years prior to 2001–02; and whether these sums have been allocated to another Department.

David Jamieson: holding answer 20 January 2004
	Prior to the start of the cost recovery system to fund safety camera activity in 2000–01 all revenue from speeding fines was passed to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury.

Speed Cameras

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answers of 6 January 2004, Official Report, columns 215W and 216W, and his answer of 13 January 2004, Official Report, columns 676–7W, how the £520,357, that was collected in fines from speed cameras that was not spent in purchasing and operating speed cameras in Essex in 2001–02, was spent; and whether this sum was allocated to another Department.

David Jamieson: holding answer 20 January 2004
	Under the netting off scheme the amount returned to the safety camera partnership can only cover the cost of purchasing and operating safety cameras. The rest is passed to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury.

London Underground

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made representations to Transport for London regarding (a) reliability and (b) comfort, under each of the PPP contracts for the London Underground.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport has not made specific representations to Transport for London on either of these issues. I have regular meetings with the Mayor for London, London Underground and Transport for London. At these meetings a wide range of issues are discussed, including the operational performance of the Underground and the delivery of improvements to the network.

WALES

Student Finance

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the devolution of higher education funding for students to the National Assembly for Wales.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) today.

National Minimum Wage

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the national minimum wage in Wales.

Peter Hain: Around 60,000 people in Wales stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999 and for the increases since.

Prisoners (Police Cells)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with North Wales police authority about reducing the numbers held in police cells in north Wales.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with representatives of the police forces in Wales.
	Cells are normally used only to accommodate people who need to be held in custody by the police. Occasionally, prison inmates are held overnight because they cannot reach their prison by a reasonable time, or to facilitate their return to court the next day.

Local Government Finance

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the Barnett formula.

Peter Hain: I have regular meetings with the First Minister to discuss funding arrangements for Wales. The Barnett formula is a means of calculating changes to the Welsh Block from its historic base.

NHS Funding

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Government on the funding of the NHS in Wales.

Peter Hain: I have met the First Minister and the Assembly Health Minister in recent weeks to discuss the NHS and health provision in Wales.
	Since 1997, funding for the NHS across the UK has increased; in Wales the 2004–05 budget for health will be almost 95 per cent. more than in 1996–97.
	In Wales, as in the rest of the UK, this has resulted in greater numbers of doctors and nurses, improved services and more patients being treated.

DEFENCE

Airfield Support Service Project

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated aggregate costs incurred by the three bidding consortia for the Airfield Support Service Project are.

Adam Ingram: Actual costs incurred by the three bidding consortia are not known to the Department and are a matter for the consortia themselves.

Al Yamamah

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the 1992 National Audit Office report about the Al Yamamah programme.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 January 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 February 2003, Official Report, column 735W.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he intends to make in relation to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and compensation to ensure that (a) a beneficiary is guaranteed five years' worth of payments notwithstanding earlier death and (b) lump sum payments to give effect to such guarantee are not taxed at a 35 per cent. rate.

Ivor Caplin: The decision of the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme includes a provision to allow a lump sum payment to a spouse or partner of up to five years' pension payments, less the lump sum received on retirement and pension payments up to the date of death, if a member dies after retirement but within five years of the pension coming into payment. The Government propose in "Simplifying the taxation of pensions: the Government's proposals", published on 10 December 2003, that such payments should be taxed at 35 per cent. The Ministry of Defence will be considering the benefit proposal further in the light of the taxation arrangements.

Army

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget for army combat arms training was in each month since January 2001.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 January 2004
	Army combat arms training has been taken to encompass individual training for all personnel at Phase 1 (initial) training (which will include individuals who go on to serve in non-combat arms), and individual training at phase 2 (specialist) and phase 3 (career and development) training for personnel serving in the Royal Armoured Corps, the Royal Artillery, the Infantry, and the School of Army Aviation. LAND Command undertakes collective training for the whole Army but cannot identify specific costs associated with such training for combat arms. The sums shown include an element for HQ Admin costs etc., which cannot easily be separated out, but exclude all salary costs of trainees, which are accounted for separately. The figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Month £ million 
		
		
			 April 2001 27.599 
			 May 2001 28.447 
			 June 2001 31.833 
			 July 2001 30.378 
			 August 2001 26.729 
			 September 2001 27.676 
			 October 2001 28.505 
			 November 2001 29.591 
			 December 2001 29.585 
			 January 2002 29.409 
			 February 2002 28.914 
			 March 2002 30.046 
			 April 2002 29.777 
			 May 2002 31.053 
			 June 2002 31.142 
			 July 2002 31.429 
			 August 2002 30.959 
			 September 2002 30.589 
			 October 2002 31.957 
			 November 2002 31.251 
			 December 2002 31.126 
			 January 2003 33.256 
			 February 2003 29.879 
			 March 2003 31.905 
			 April 2003 32.660 
			 May 2003 32.836 
			 June 2003 27.767 
			 July 2003 32.421 
			 August 2003 28.732 
			 September 2003 29.089 
			 October 2003 32.559 
			 November 2003 32.034 
			 December 2003 28.318 
			 January 2004 31.626 
			 February 2004 (projected) 31.573 
			 March 2004 (projected) 31.225

Army

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army musicians were obliged to down-rank on transferring to the Guards regiments from other regiments; and what effect this down ranking will have on these soldiers' pensions.

Ivor Caplin: Transfer to bands of the Guards Division is voluntary. Seventeen army musicians who volunteered to transfer and are still serving accepted reversion to the rank of Musician as a condition of transfer. Reversion in rank has not been a condition of transfer since April 2003.
	Reversion in rank may affect an individual's pension award. Rank for the purpose of assessing pension entitlement is calculated by taking the highest paid rank held for an aggregate of two years or more during the last five years reckonable service.

Army

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial restrictions have been placed on army recruiting.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 19 January 2004
	None.

Correspondence

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will provide a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 24 November 2003 about Mrs. Iris Griffiths of Kingsbridge and the Defence Export Services Organisation, which was acknowledged by his Department on 2 December 2003.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 January 2004
	My noble Friend Lord Bach wrote to the hon. Member on 15 January 2004.

Departmental Posts (Gibraltar)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian and (b) service posts in his Department in Gibraltar will be (i) transferred to the private sector and (ii) removed.

Adam Ingram: Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar is currently evaluating the most cost-effective method of delivering janitorial, catering and transportation services. Although under review, at this stage no decisions have been made to transfer posts to the private sector.
	Routine local resource management plans are to make a reduction of 23 civilian and one service posts, over the next four years. We envisage that this will be achieved by a combination of natural wastage and voluntary early retirement.

Forces Personnel

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what statistical data his Department collates on the rate of marital break-up among forces personnel.

Ivor Caplin: Each service records, on individual pay and personnel documents, the marital status of its personnel using different marital categories. Analysis of marital break-ups and divorce rates is carried out on an ad hoc basis by analysing changes to the marital status of personnel.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the application of standards in the UN Basic Principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials for law enforcement duties conducted by UK military personnel in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The practices adopted by United Kingdom military personnel in Iraq are consistent with the UN Basic Principles for the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials, despite the fact that we are operating in circumstances rather different from those in which it was intended to be applied.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms are in place to ensure the (a) impartiality and (b) independence of investigations into non-combatant deaths in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: In exercising their constabulary powers the Royal Military Police (RMP) are independent of the Army's chain of command. At the conclusion of any RMP investigation, a report together with supporting evidence is submitted to the appropriate commanding officer and to the Army Legal Services—ALS. ALS will then advise the commanding officer whether there is a prima facie case for disciplinary action. In serious cases, ALS will advise the commanding officer on the procedure for referral to a higher authority and, if appropriate, on to the Army Prosecuting Authority—APA. The APA is statutorily independent of the chain of command. The independence of the APA was confirmed in the European Court of Human Rights in the Cooper Case last December.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the soldier's card issued to forces serving in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The soldier's card contains information about the Rules of Engagement. It is not our practice to comment on Rules of Engagement and I am withholding information regarding their contents under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts let to private contractors for the supply and support of UK troops in Iraq, stating in each case the nature and value of the contract; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 January 2004
	I am withholding the information requested in accordance with Exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information as it is commercial in confidence.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 8 January, Official Report, column 453W, on Iraq, when the Iraq Survey Group is to make its final recommendations.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2004, .Official Report, column 538W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Glenda Jackson).

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his strategy is for ensuring that children in Iraq do not come into contact with depleted uranium.

Adam Ingram: British forces are taking the following actions to minimise the risk posed to civilians by Depleted Uranium (DU):
	DU fragments on the surface are being removed from the battlefield as they are discovered.
	Local people have been warned through signs and leaflets that they should not go near, or touch, any debris they find on the battlefield.
	Military vehicles known to have been hit by DU munitions within the southern sector of Iraq under British military control have been clearly marked.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in the Iraq Survey Group.

Geoff Hoon: On 16 January 2004, there were 1,272 people employed in the Iraq Survey Group.

Iraq

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 9,100 ISO containers used for Operation TELIC are missing and unaccounted for by his Department.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 January 2004
	To date 9,595 ISO containers have been supplied in support of Operation TELIC. Of this number 5,793 currently remain in use on the operation.
	The balance of 3,802 have either been returned, re-tasked or are awaiting return to either the MOD or to the leasing companies as appropriate.
	At present we have 73 containers, 0.76 per cent. of the original amount, unaccounted for. It is expected that the next information update from theatre will identify the locations of the majority of these containers and that they will either be in transit or have been re-tasked.
	It is stressed that it is unusual to lose a container totally. It is far more likely that it would have been re-tasked or returned and that a delay has occurred in getting the relevant information back to the Defence Container Management Service.

Iraq

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what number and percentage of Army Medical Service reserve personnel have left the service following Operation Telic.

Ivor Caplin: Although we do not hold figures for the number of people leaving the Army Medical Services Territorial Army (AMS TA) overall, I can confirm that 240 Professionally Qualified Officers, from Role 3 reserve medical units (field hospitals) have left the TA over the last 12 months. This represents approximately 13 per cent. of these units. Very few of these individuals gave Operation Telic, or the risk of mobilisation, as their primary reason for leaving. Over the same period, approximately 300 people joined the same units.

Iraq

Helen Liddell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the other national contingents under the command of 3 (UK) Division;
	(2)  if he will list the countries involved in the Multinational Division (South-East) (MND(SE) in the South Iraq provinces of Basra, Maysen, Dhi Qar and Al Muthanna.

Adam Ingram: 3 (UK) Division formally handed over headquarters duties to the Multinational Division (South East) on 28 December 2003.
	In addition to United Kingdom forces the following nations currently contribute a combined total of around 5,200 personnel to the Multinational Division: Italy; Denmark; Norway; Netherlands; Czech Republic; Portugal; Romania; New Zealand; Lithuania; Japan and Iceland.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the failure rate of the bomblets in the cluster munitions his Department purchased from BAe Systems in 2003; whether the use of these munitions in Iraq has contributed to the assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: No cluster artillery shells purchased from BAe Systems in 2003 were used in Iraq during Operation Telic. The ammunition used during Operation Telic was from a procurement made in 1996. No assessment of cluster artillery shells was carried out in Iraq.
	However, each batch of these munitions procured is subject to acceptance proof firing. This requires a statistically viable sample of each batch to be fired and monitored. The area is then searched by the manufacturer's Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel to identify and report any bomblet failures. All ammunition lots we have procured have met the requirements. Other testing involves a random sample of the Self Destruct Fuze being independently tested by the manufacturer prior to assembly. Again, all these fuzes have met the requirements.

Procurement

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contractors' bid costs have been refunded in full, or in part, as a result of procurement competitions being terminated or substantially altered since 1997; in how many cases compensation has been paid; what the total value of such payments is; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost (Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).
	In the event that a procurement competition was terminated or substantially altered consideration would be given, on a case-by-case basis, to whether to reimburse bid costs.

Reservists

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) full-time reservists with full commitment contracts, (b) full-time reservists with limited commitment contracts, (c) full-time reservists with home commitment contracts and (d) volunteer reservists have been called out on active duty in each year since 1997; and what the average active duty service time has been for each category.

Ivor Caplin: The Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) commitment was established in 1998.
	The numbers of FTRS personnel called out for permanent service by the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines) and Royal Air Force since 1998 are detailed in the following table. The Army does not keep a separate record of FTRS personnel called out for permanent service.
	
		
			  FTRS full commitment FTRS limited commitment FTRS home commitment 
		
		
			 1998 0 0 0 
			 1999 0 0 0 
			 2000 0 0 0 
			 2001 2 2 0 
			 2002 3 2 0 
			 2003 18 56 0 
		
	
	These figures do not include those personnel who, as part of their FTRS commitment, served on operations.
	We have been unable to distinguish between the forms of service that reservists were undertaking when mobilised. Therefore, the figures detailed as follows cover all reservists mobilised.
	
		
			  Number of reservists mobilised 
		
		
			 1997 980 
			 1998 840 
			 1999 1,400 
			 2000 1,120 
			 2001 920 
			 2002 1,720 
			 2003 9,550 
		
	
	A central record of the average period of mobilised service that each category has served since 1997 is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, in 2003 for Operation TELIC reservists would have been mobilised for between seven and nine months (this includes pre-deployment training and post-deployment leave).

Service Accommodation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters (a) were released to Annington Homes in each year since 1996 and (b) are projected to be released in each of the next five years; what the location is in each case; and what factors influence decisions on releases.

Ivor Caplin: Within the Defence Housing Executive's (DHE) overall disposal programme, the following numbers of properties have been handed back to Annington Homes, following the sale of the bulk of the family estate in 1996:
	
		
			  Properties 
		
		
			 1997 8 
			 1998 1,366 
			 1999 1,188 
			 2000 2,679 
			 2001 2,640 
			 2002 2,366 
			 2003 1,513 
		
	
	At the time of the overall sale and leaseback in 1996, 2,373 properties were released to Annington Homes. Subsequently, a total of 11,760 properties have been handed back at over 300 sites across England and Wales. A further 560 properties are due to be handed back by the end of March 2004.

Territorial Army

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army serving in (a) 2 Signals Brigade and (b) its subordinate units have been mobilised during Operation Telic.

Ivor Caplin: One hundred and sixty six members of the Territorial Army who serve in either 2 Signals Brigade, or its subordinate units, have been deployed on Operation TELIC.

Timber

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 277W, how many and what percentage of contracts issued by his Department since August 2002 which involved the use of wood have not complied with the Defence Contract Condition (DEFCON) 691.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence places in excess of 30,000 contracts per annum. MOD commercial staff are advised to include the Defence Contract Condition (DEFCON) 691 in all relevant contracts that may involve the supply or consumption of timber. However, if it is clear that performance of contracts does not involve the supply or consumption of timber, then DEFCON 691 need not be called up. The MOD does not keep central records of the number of contracts, which contain DEFCON 691.

University Places (Service Sponsorships)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he and his officials have had with the Department for Education and Skills on the impact of the introduction of top-up fees on service sponsorships for university places.

Ivor Caplin: None.

University Places (Service Sponsorships)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of top-up fees on the provision of service sponsorships for university places.

Ivor Caplin: No assessment has yet been made.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Chechnya

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department's approach to the human rights issue in Chechnya includes representations to the Chechen Government.

Bill Rammell: The UK's representations over human rights in Chechnya have, to date, been made to representatives of the Russian Federal Government, rather than to local authorities.

Hebron Rehabilitation Committee

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support the United Kingdom has given to the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The UK has not given any financial support to the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee. However, we are aware of their valuable work restoring the old city of Hebron, and have in the past lobbied the Government of Israel to ensure the Committee's work is not obstructed.

Israel

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning the welfare of animals denied access to Palestinian pasture lands since the construction of the security wall.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 1054W. As we made clear then, we have serious concerns about the impact of the fence on the daily life of those Palestinians directly affected. We are particularly concerned at the impact the establishment of a closed zone has had on access to basic services, including health and education in the area, and on the ability of Palestinian farmers to cultivate farmland and care for their livestock.

Migrant Workers

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what correspondence he has received since 1 July 2003 on the coming into force of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families; and what steps remain to be taken before UK ratification of the Treaty.

Bill Rammell: The Government have received communication from a variety of sources seeking UK ratification. However, we have no plans to ratify the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The scope of the Convention is wider than the UK's existing immigration laws. Incorporating it into UK law would imply fundamental changes to our legislation and would undermine the UK's system of frontier control.
	The Government consider they have already struck the right balance between the need for immigration control and the protection of the interests and rights of migrant workers.

Rwanda and Burundi

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are being made to assist (a) Rwanda and (b) Burundi to bring those guilty of crimes against humanity to justice; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We are working with the Rwandan Government to develop and begin implementation of a strategy for legal and judicial reform; implement the "gacaca" process of local justice in all provinces: and work constructively with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In Burundi, during 2003–04 we are contributing £5.7 million towards the cost of the African Union's peace-keeping force. We are also encouraging the UN to look at ways in which the international community can support post-conflict justice.

Rwanda and Burundi

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being provided to (a) Rwanda and (b) Burundi to fight terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We are not providing direct assistance to Burundi and Rwanda to fight terrorism, but we are helping Rwanda with security sector reform and looking at the possibility of doing so in Burundi. We currently assess the threat from international terrorism in Burundi and Rwanda as low, but this is kept under careful review.

Rwanda and Burundi

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support is being provided to efforts to initiate the peace process in Burundi; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The UK has increased its engagement in Burundi since the signing of the Arusha agreement in 2000, providing both political and financial support. We are working with the EU, UN and regional partners to consolidate the peace process to support peace-building activities, including the African Mission in Burundi, and long-term recovery and poverty reduction.
	In 2003–04, the UK has made a total of £11.6 million available for Burundi, including £5.7 million to support the African Union-led peace-keeping force.

Sunset Clauses

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on the use of sunset clauses in legislation; and which Acts containing such clauses relevant to his Department were passed in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: Whether a sunset clause is needed in legislation depends on the circumstance of each Bill. In the case of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), much of our legislation is to implement HMG's international obligations, so if those obligations do not have a specific time limit, a limit in our domestic legislation would not be appropriate. No Acts of Parliament since 1997 for which the FCO is responsible contained a sunset clause.

United Nations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the deadlines were for payment of regular budget contributions to the United Nations for each year since 1993; and when the United Kingdom made these payments in each year.

Bill Rammell: The United Nations Secretariat issues invoices for contributions to the Regular Budget at the end of December each year, following the conclusion of General Assembly business in the fifth committee. Contributions are due within 30 days of receipt of invoice.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office pays 25 per cent. of its assessed contribution in January and the remaining 75 per cent. in April, in keeping with Treasury rules on expenditure which falls across financial years.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with representatives of (a) the UN, (b) the Government of Morocco and (c) the Polisario concerning the future government of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We regularly discuss the situation in Western Sahara with our contacts at all levels in the United Nations, the Moroccan Government and the Polisario.
	Most recently, my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean discussed Western Sahara and other issues with the Moroccan Deputy Foreign Minister, Fassi-Fihri, at his request when he was in London on 6 January.

Zimbabwe

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received from Zimbabwean journalists on issues surrounding freedom of the press in that country.

Chris Mullin: The British Embassy in Harare has regular contact with a wide range of journalists in Zimbabwe, including those from independent newspapers. I met a senior delegation from the Daily News during their November 2003 visit to the UK. We condemn the Government of Zimbabwe's attempts to block press freedoms in Zimbabwe, and the state-sponsored violence and human rights abuses which accompany their misguided policies. We will continue to do all we can to defend freedom of speech and of the press in Zimbabwe.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Directorships

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the number of women holding directorships in FTSE 100 companies; and what this represents as a percentage of the total number of directors.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 15 January 2004
	The number of female directorships has reached 101 in 2003, up by 20 per cent. on the previous year. Women now account for 9 per cent. of FTSE 100 board members and nearly 4 per cent. are in executive roles.
	The Higgs and Tyson reports, which the Government commissioned last year, looked at a number of aspects for improving the overall performance of company boards. The Higgs Review reported on how the quality, independence, and effectiveness of non-executive directors may be strengthened; and the Tyson Report subsequently considered how companies could pursue recruitment of directors from broader and more diverse backgrounds.
	The Government strongly support all efforts to improve the diversity and effectiveness of company boards. Since November, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Minister for Women and Equality and I have been meeting Chairs, Chief Executives and senior figures from business to raise awareness about the business case for greater diversity on UK boards and to gather examples of good practice already in place, which we plan to disseminate further to companies, professional bodies and executive recruitment firms.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Gambling Bill

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the expected timetable is for the draft Gambling Bill after the consultation period ends.

Richard Caborn: After taking account of the recommendations of the Joint Committee, which is now scrutinising the draft Bill, and of the points made in our wider public consultation on its provisions, we intend to amend its provisions as necessary and to introduce a Bill as soon as parliamentary time permits.

Statutory Sick Pay

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people employed in her Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: This information is not held within the Department and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For civil servants generally, sick absence may be allowed on full pay for up to six months. Departments are responsible for paying Statutory Sick Pay to staff for up to 28 weeks as a proportion of their full pay.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

McClean Review

Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners when he expects the publication of the first report of the McClean Review into clergy terms of service to the Archbishops' Council.

Stuart Bell: The report of the McClean Group will be published and copies sent to members of the Church of England's General Synod on 23 January. A copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library and I will also ensure my hon. Friend receives one.

PRIME MINISTER

11 September

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to President Bush about assistance for families of British victims of events on 11 September 2001 in pursuing inquiries into those events.

Tony Blair: We have had extensive discussions with the US Government, at many levels, about circumstances surrounding the events of 11 September 2001. An independent commission of inquiry in the US into pre-11 September intelligence is also taking place.
	The Government remains ready to help UK relatives of 11 September victims in their dealings with the US Government in any way that we can.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether the United Kingdom has shared with the United States Administration and US intelligence services the information on alleged Iraqi attempts to procure uranium from Niger, to which he referred in his letters of 1 September 2003 and 28 October 2003 to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent.

Tony Blair: Exchanges between UK intelligence officials and their opposite numbers in the US are confidential and it would not be appropriate to provide any farther details beyond those we have already provided.

TREASURY

Aggregates Levy

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the impact of the aggregates levy since its introduction on the quarrying industry in (a) the East Midlands and (b) the United Kingdom;
	(2)  when the level of the aggregates levy was last reviewed;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the impact the aggregates levy has had since its introduction on (a) the extraction of virgin aggregates and (b) the use of secondary aggregates in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the UK;
	(4)  what plans there are to review the level of the aggregates levy;
	(5)  what assessment has been made of the impact of the aggregates levy since its introduction in (a) the East Midlands and (b) the UK.

John Healey: An update on the Government's current assessment of the impact of the aggregates levy was in the pre-Budget report (Cm 6042). Monitoring of the aggregates levy takes the form of a rolling programme of research and analysis of data as it becomes available. It encompasses all regions of the UK and it takes account of data from specific research, such as the Government-commissioned Symonds Report on the levy's impact in Northern Ireland, as well as information from business organisations, individual companies, environment groups and site visits by officials.
	Emerging evidence suggests that overall primary aggregates extraction has fallen since the levy's introduction; for example, the total outputs from the Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry for Great Britain for 2002 show a decrease of 5.7 per cent. on the 2001 figures. While there are a number of factors affecting extraction levels, it is clear that the levy has played a significant part in encouraging that reduction.
	The rate of the aggregates levy is reviewed annually as part of the Budget process.

Air Passenger Duty

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) percentage rate and (b) actual tax revenue for air passenger duty was in each year since 1994.

John Healey: (a) Air passenger duty is not set as a percentage rate but as a monetary amount. Current air passenger duty rates are as follows.
	
		£
		
			  EEA Destinations Non-EEA Destinations 
		
		
			 Standard Rate 10 40 
			 Reduced Rate 5 20 
		
	
	(b) Air passenger duty revenues for 2002–03 were £816 million and are published in HM Customs and Excise's Annual Report (HC52). Historic revenue figures can be found in table 2.1D of Financial Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics.

Barnett Formula

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amounts (a) the Welsh Block and (b) the Scottish Block has been changed as a consequence of change in public funding for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew through the operation of the Barnett formula for each of the last six years.

Paul Boateng: Changes in the Welsh and Scottish Blocks are determined through the Barnett formula, details of which were published in the Statement of Funding Policy in July 2002. The Barnett formula provides the devolved Administrations with aggregate increases reflecting a population share of overall increases in UK Government Departments' provision.

Charitable Donations (Developing Countries)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of charitable donations from the United Kingdom to developing countries in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The Government conduct a survey every year of non-Governmental organisations which provide assistance to developing countries. Aid flows from voluntary agencies are estimated from a statistical inquiry conducted annually by DfID in line with current survey control policy. The following table sets out the figures for the years 1998 to 2002.
	
		Expenditure by voluntary organisations in developing countries -- £ million
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Total expenditure 397 495 534 456 482 
			 of which:  
			 Officially funded 143 175 170 207 221 
			 Funded by other UK agencies 1 22 9 24 26 
			 Privately funded 253 298 354 225 235 
		
	
	Source:
	Voluntary agencies surveys of 1999–2003. The private element is published in DfID's annual publication "Statistics on International Development".

Civil Service (Disabled People)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the number of employees in his Department who have a disability, broken down by disability type.

Ruth Kelly: 5,247 of the 98,770 staff employed by the Treasury, Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise have declared a disability.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 HM Treasury  
			 Capacity 10 
			 Co-ordination 7 
			 Hearing 9 
			 Learning 4 
			 Mentally ill 1 
			 Mobility 7 
			 Speech 2 
			 Visual 4 
			 Total number 44 
			   
			 HM Customs and Excise 
			 Hearing Impairment—and other 20 
			 Hearing Impairment—alone 110 
			 Learning difficulties—alone 23 
			 Learning difficulties—and other 7 
			 Mental illness—alone 32 
			 Mobility impairment—and other 48 
			 Mobility impairment—alone 126 
			 Physical co-ordination—alone 31 
			 Physical co-ordination—and other 22 
			 Reduced phys. capacity—and other 70 
			 Reduced phys. capacity—alone 256 
			 Severe disfigurement—and other 1 
			 Severe disfigurement—alone 1 
			 Speech impairment—and other 2 
			 Speech impairment—alone 8 
			 Status unknown 43 
			 Unknown disability 106 
			 Visual impairment—and other 16 
			 Visual impairment—alone 61 
			 Total number 983 
			   
			 Inland Revenue  
			 Unknown disability 1,126 
			 Reduced physical capacity 729 
			 Visual impairment 668 
			 Mobility impairment 651 
			 Hearing impairment 625 
			 Mental illness 242 
			 Learning difficulties 72 
			 Speech impairment 46 
			 Physical co-ordination difficulties 43 
			 Severe disfigurement 11 
			 Obsolete descriptions 8 
			 Total number 4,220 
			 Grand total 5,247

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter dated 5 November 2003 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding EU children's clothes VAT plans.

John Healey: I replied to the hon. Member on 14 January.

Energy Efficiency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of widening the VAT reduction to 5 per cent. on energy saving materials;
	(2)  if he will take steps to allow a stamp duty rebate at time of purchase for homebuyers installing energy efficiency measures;
	(3)  if he will introduce a new tax allowance for private landlords investing in energy efficiency.

John Healey: The Government are committed to improving household energy efficiency, as part of their programme to meet Energy White Paper targets. The Government routinely evaluate the impact of policy initiatives, including environmental tax measures. The Government have a long-standing commitment to pursue EU changes to permit a reduced rate of VAT for the DIY installation of energy saving materials, and have already applied a reduced rate of VAT for the installation of materials in certain other circumstances. The Government consulted on further measures to improve household energy efficiency in 2003, including a tax allowance for private landlords investing in energy efficiency. The Government also invited views on other possible policy initiatives. Responses were published and are being taken into account in further policy development. In the pre-Budget report (Cm 6042) we confirmed that we believe that there is a case for the further use of economic instruments as part of a package of measures to promote energy efficiency. A further announcement will be made around Budget 2004.

Excise Taxes

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on combating the evasion of excise taxes within the European Union.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials from the Chancellor's Departments hold discussions with the European Commission and their counterparts from other EU member states on a wide range of issues, including the effective operation of the EU excise system.

Fuel Tax

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the duty on liquefied petroleum gas; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: In his Pre-Budget Report in December 2003 (Cm 6042), the Chancellor announced that the Government will gradually increase the duty rate for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) over the next three years, setting duty differentials on a path towards a level commensurate with the fuel's environmental benefits. Consistent with the Government's commitment to give three-year certainty on duty differentials for alternative fuels, the duty differentials for LPG for the next three years will be announced in Budget 2004.

Inland Revenue Code of Practice 26

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 will be made available to members of the public at local tax offices.

Dawn Primarolo: Code of Practice 26, "What happens when we have paid you too much tax credit?", is available to claimants via Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres. It is also available online at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/leaflets/credit.htm.

World Debt

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the terms and conditions relating to (a) loans made by the International Monetary Fund to third world countries and (b) debt cancellation.

John Healey: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) lends to low-income countries through the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), a lending instrument offering softer terms than conventional IMF lending. Loans under the PRGF are based on a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which is prepared by the country in co-operation with civil society and other development partners, in particular the World Bank. The UK believes that IMF loan conditions should reflect only what is necessary for the success of a program, to ensure the protection of IMF funds, and to meet the core requirements of the Fund's mandate. Conditions should be appropriate for a particular country. This is upheld in new guidelines on conditionality introduced by the IMF in September 2002 and the UK will work to ensure these guidelines remain appropriate and that they are upheld in practice.
	The UK continues to be fully committed to the rapid and full implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative to ensure that it delivers a robust exit from unsustainable debt for the world's poorest countries. To change the underlying dynamics of those countries in which debt indicators are deteriorating, it is important that—in addition to receiving debt relief—countries implement the reforms necessary to allow them to grow faster, to increase poverty reduction expenditure and to enable them to diversify their export bases and better absorb macroeconomic shocks, such as a decline in specific commodity prices. So far 27 countries have started to receive debt relief under the initiative, worth over US $70 billion. To be eligible for the HIPC Initiative, countries must be eligible for highly concessional assistance from the World Bank and the IMF, face an unsustainable debt situation after the full application of traditional debt relief mechanisms (such as application of Naples terms under the Paris Club agreement), and must make a commitment to poverty reduction through the implementation of a Poverty Reduction Strategy.
	The HIPC Initiative has an important role to play in maximising the resources available for poverty reduction in developing countries. However, unless there is an increase in the volume of resources available from donors to poor countries, additional debt relief would simply reallocate resources from one form of financing to another, and from non-HIPC poor countries to HIPC countries, without adding to the overall financing available for poverty reduction. Furthermore, all HIPC countries would still need additional aid to meet the Millennium Development Goals even if all of their debt from the World Bank and IMF were cancelled. That is why the UK's proposal for an International Finance Facility is so important. It could provide the much-needed substantial increase in resources which debt relief alone would not achieve and which could be disbursed by way of grants and additional debt relief.

Places of Worship/Historic Buildings

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the implementation of existing VAT Directives relating to the care of listed places of worship;
	(2)  what fiscal incentives his Department provides to support the maintenance of historic buildings; what plans he has to increase this support and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: In accordance with the rules laid down in the EC Sixth VAT Directive, the repair and maintenance of listed places of worship, and of all other buildings, is standard-rated for VAT purposes.
	We have been negotiating hard with our European Partners to extend the categories of permitted reduced VAT rates to include the repair and maintenance of listed places of worship. Although at this time the future of these negotiations is uncertain, it remains one of the Government's objectives to achieve such a reduced rate.
	In the meantime we continue to provide support through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which provides an equivalent reduction in the cost of these repair projects. In his Pre-Budget Report the Chancellor announced that funding for the grant scheme is in place for a further two years, until the end of March 2006.
	As well as the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, the Government provides a range of fiscal incentives to support the maintenance of historic buildings, including exemption from inheritance tax for heritage maintenance funds. The Government keeps all taxes under review and any changes are considered by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the annual Budget process.

Public Expenditure (Allocation within UK)

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the figures listed in Table 8.6b and 8.13b of the Corrigendum to Chapter 8 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2003, what assessment he has made of the per capita cost of providing a parity of service provision in each region and nation of the United Kingdom with a view to determining which region/nation is receiving (a) more, (b) less and (c) the correct level of funding in each service programme.

Paul Boateng: Spending by the devolved administrations is determined by the principles set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published by the Treasury in July 2002. Spending by region is determined by departments; there is no single allocation formula. Spending is determined according to the circumstances of the particular spending programme.

Scottish Executive

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he plans to make to determinants of the grant, other than the Barnett Formula, paid to the Scottish Executive in 2004.

Paul Boateng: The Government's spending plans for 2004–05 were published in the 2002 Spending Review White Paper (Cm 5570). The grant to the Scottish Consolidated Fund for 2004–05 will be published in the Scotland Office chapter of the Department for Constitutional Affairs 2004–05 Departmental Report.

Sports Clubs

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many community and amateur sports clubs are registered for tax relief;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to promote the package of tax concessions available to community and amateur sports clubs;
	(3)  if he will estimate the number of community and amateur sports clubs eligible for tax concessions.

John Healey: It is estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 clubs might be eligible to apply for registration as a community amateur sports club (CASC). As at 16 January 2004, 587 CASCs had been registered. A list of registered clubs is published on the Inland Revenue website, and is updated on a monthly basis.
	In the Pre-Budget Report (Cm 6042) the Chancellor announced the Government's intention to double the Corporation Tax thresholds below which registered CASCs are exempt from tax. This will mean that clubs with a trading turnover of less than £30,000 and gross property income of less than £20,000 will pay no Corporation Tax. The measure will be introduced in the next Finance Bill.
	Clubs registered in England and Wales will also receive mandatory rates relief of 80 per cent. with effect from 1 April 2004. Local authorities can increase this relief to 100 per cent. at their own discretion. These measures will help clubs raise funds to improve facilities for participating in sport, by reducing the burden placed upon them.
	The Inland Revenue, in partnership with the Central Council of Physical Recreation; Bates, Wells & Braithwaite; Deloitte & Touche and others, held a series of regional seminars in 2003 to promote the CASC scheme. The Inland Revenue continues to work closely with representative bodies to encourage awareness of the scheme among their members.
	The Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport also wrote to all Members of Parliament, including my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Reed), in December, encouraging them to promote the scheme to amateur sports clubs in their constituencies.

Telephone Charges

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was derived in 2002–03 by Government Departments and agencies from use of the 0870 telephone number which charges callers.

Paul Boateng: Information about the use of 0870 services by Government Departments and agencies is not held centrally.

Thames Gateway Bridge

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Thames Gateway Bridge will be included in the comparator expenditure for the purposes of allocations under the Barnett Formula; and how much additional money will go to the devolved administrations as a result.

Paul Boateng: Comparability factors for the purpose of allocations under the Barnett formula are published in Annex C of the Statement of Funding Policy. The latest version was published by the Treasury in July 2002. Comparability factors are updated in each Spending Review. Under the Barnett formula the devolved administrations receive a population share of comparable aggregate increases in departmental spending.

Tourism (VAT)

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend the VAT rate on tourism services, with particular reference to tourist accommodation.

John Healey: The Chancellor keeps all tax matters under constant review, and I refer the hon gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 823W.

Trade Union Recognition Ballots

Bill Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what types of expenses accrued by a company campaigning against a trade union recognition ballot would be (a) tax deductible and (b) able to be offset against other tax liabilities; what the total amount of tax not paid in respect of such expenses has been in each of the last five years; and what plans he has to change the tax rules applying to such expenses.

Dawn Primarolo: (a) Expenses which are deductible in computing a company's trading profits are those revenue expenses which are incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the company's trade and which are not subject to a specific statutory prohibition.
	(b) Such expenses cannot be set against other tax liabilities as such, but a trading loss created or augmented by such expenses may be set against other liabilities as permitted by statute.
	We have no centrally available information on this matter.
	Tax policy is kept under continuous review and any changes are announced by the Chancellor, usually at the time of the Budget.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many induction centres for asylum seekers there are in the UK; and how many asylum seekers have been processed by induction centres since they opened.

Beverley Hughes: There are currently two induction centres open in the UK: Dover Induction Centre which opened in January 2002 and Yorkshire and Humberside which opened in June 2003. These two induction centres have processed about 26,700 asylum applicants collectively.

Asylum Seekers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many induction centres for asylum seekers the Government plans to open; when they will open; and where.

Beverley Hughes: The Government plans to establish a network of induction centres in London and the regions during 2004. Negotiations with potential providers for further induction centres are ongoing so the exact locations and final number cannot be confirmed at this time. The final number will depend on the number of bedspaces each potential provider can deliver and capacity required will change to reflect changes in asylum intake. It is expected however that the network will consist of about eight induction centres.

Asylum Seekers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers he expects will be processed by each induction centre; and what the expected cost is of each centre.

Beverley Hughes: When the national network of induction centres has been established it is expected that all asylum applicants will be processed through an induction centre, with the exception of detainees and those under Social Services care, for whom induction services will be tailored and delivered differently. Negotiations with potential providers are still ongoing and therefore information on the cost of each centre is not yet available. The number of asylum seekers processed by each centre depends on the number of bedspaces each centre can deliver and on asylum intake and dispersal rates.

Asylum Seekers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of asylum seekers reached the UK in 2003 (a) as a result of illegal people-smuggling operations conducted by criminal gangs and (b) because they held false documentation.

Beverley Hughes: The nature of illegal entry is such that it is impossible to quantify. Illegal entrants are detected in a wide range of circumstances and time frames, from discovery in the back of a lorry on, or shortly after, arrival, to discovery much later, when found working. Although many of those discovered will claim asylum, no figures are kept centrally to differentiate between asylum seekers who arrive illegally, asylum seekers who arrive illegally as a result of criminal action, and illegal entrants generally.
	The Government established the multi-agency Reflex strategy to tackle the criminality behind people smuggling, and will continue to support this strategy in tandem with increasingly effective border control measures, which saw a 52 per cent. reduction in the number of asylum seekers arriving in the UK in the 12 months from October 2002.
	It is also not possible to quantify, except at disproportionate cost, the number of asylum seekers who reach the UK because they hold false documentation, although it is reasonable to conclude that many who do so arrive will claim asylum.
	In the 12 months ending 30 September 2003, 8,446 false documents were detected at UK ports of entry.

Asylum Seekers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has collated of links between the change in the number of asylum seekers and people traffickers.

Beverley Hughes: Government action led to a 52 per cent. reduction in the number of asylum seekers arriving in the UK in the 12 months from October 2002. Incidences of human trafficking to the UK remain low, although the vast majority of those entering the UK illegally do so with the assistance of people smugglers (or facilitators). Figures for the prosecutions of facilitators do not differentiate between asylum seekers who enter illegally, and other illegal entrants. There is no clear statistical trend in the number of facilitators prosecuted at the major ports of Dover and Heathrow.

Asylum Seekers

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications the UK received from citizens of Sri Lanka in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003.

Beverley Hughes: There were 6,395, 5,510 and 3,130 asylum applications (principal applicants) from nationals of Sri Lanka in 2000, 2001 and 2002 respectively and 630 asylum applications (principal applicants) from January to September 2003.
	Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The next publication, including provisional data for October to December 2003 and totals for 2003, will be available on the 24 February 2004 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications have been received from citizens of Sri Lanka since it was included in the list of designated countries on 17 July 2003; how many of these applications (a) have been accepted, (b) have been refused, (c) are still pending, (d) have led to non-suspensive appeals, (e) have resulted in successful non-suspensive appeals and (f) have resulted in judicial review.

Beverley Hughes: Asylum applications are published for annual, quarterly, and monthly periods. The following table shows the number of asylum applications (principal applicants) from nationals of Sri Lanka from January to September 2003, the latest date for which figures are available.
	
		Asylum applications(1) received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 2003 by month, nationals of Sri Lanka
		
			  Applications 
		
		
			 January 120 
			 February 80 
			 March 100 
			 April 70 
			 May 95 
			 June 75 
			 July 30 
			 August 30 
			 September 30 
			 Total to date 630 
		
	
	(1) Provisional figures rounded to nearest five
	Information on how many of these applications have been accepted, refused, are still pending, have led to non-suspensive appeals or have resulted in judicial review could be obtained only by examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
	The following table provides information on the outcomes of initial decisions relating to Sri Lankan nationals, from January to September 2003, the latest date for which figures are available. Initial decisions made in any given month may relate to applications made in previous months.
	
		Initial decisions on asylum applications(2),(3)received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, nationals of Sri Lanka, 2003 by month
		
			  Decisions 
			  Totaldecisions Grants ofasylum Grants of exceptional leave to remain Grants of humanitarian protection Grants of discretionary leave Totalrefusals(4),(5) 
		
		
			 January 155 5 20 n/a n/a 130 
			 February 180 * 20 n/a n/a 160 
			 March 250 5 20 n/a n/a 225 
			 April 185 * n/a — 10 175 
			 May 140 — n/a — 5 135 
			 June 155 5 n/a — 10 140 
			 July 100 * n/a — 5 95 
			 August 60 * n/a — 5 55 
			 September 45 5 n/a — 5 40 
			 Total to date 1,265 20 55 — 35 1,155 
		
	
	(2) Provisional figures rounded to nearest five, with '*' = 1 or 2.
	(3) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(4) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
	(5) May include some refusals under non compliance grounds,
	n/a = not applicable
	The following table provides information on the outcomes ofappeals at the IAA relating to Sri Lankan nationals, in January to September 2003, the latest date for which figures are available. Not all refusals result in appeals and appeal determinations made in any given month may relate to initial decisions made in previous months.
	
		Outcome of Appeals(6),(7)determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, nationals of Sri Lanka, 2003, by month -- Number of principal appellants
		
			  Appeals determined by adjudicators(7) 
			   Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 
			  Total Total As percentage of Determined Total As percentage of Determined Total As percentage of Determined 
		
		
			 January 625 55 9 560 89 10 2 
			 February 535 45 8 475 89 15 3 
			 March 600 65 11 525 87 10 2 
			 April 545 80 14 455 83 15 3 
			 May 505 85 17 405 80 20 4 
			 June 480 75 16 395 82 10 2 
			 July 505 70 14 420 83 15 3 
			 August 490 50 10 435 88 10 2 
			 September 410 55 14 350 85 5 1 
			 Total to date 4,710 580 12 4,015 85 110 2 
		
	
	(6) Provisional figures rounded to nearest five (except percentages), with '*' = 1 or 2. Figures may not add up due to independent rounding.
	(7) Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.

Asylum Seekers

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applicants who are citizens of Sri Lanka were given permission to stay in the UK in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003; and how many applications were refused in each of these years.

Beverley Hughes: The following table shows the available data, for outcomes of initial decisions relating to asylum applications (principal applicants) for nationals of Sri Lanka in 2000, 2001, 2002 and from January to September 2003. Grants of exceptional leave to remain and of discretionary leave may be followed by review of individuals' cases and do not necessarily result in permanent settlement.
	
		Initial decisions on asylum applications(8),(9) received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by year—nationals of Sri Lanka—principal applicants
		
			 Decisions 2000 2001(10) 2002(11) 2003(11),(12) 
		
		
			 Total decisions 9,050 10,350 4,285 1,265 
			 Grants of asylum 900 1,440 340 20 
			 Grants of exceptional leave to remain 285 540 275 55 
			 Grants of humanitarian protection (13)— (13)— (13)— — 
			 Grants of discretionary leave (13)— (13)— (13)— 35 
			 Total refusals(14) 6,875 8,370 3,670 1,155 
			 Grants of exceptional leave to remain under backlog criteria(15),(16) 895 (13)— (13)— (13)— 
			 Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria(15),(17) 100 (13)— (13)— (13)— 
		
	
	(8) Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5.
	(9) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(10) Revised figures
	(11) Provisional figures
	(12) January to September
	(13) Not applicable
	(14) May include some refusals under non compliance grounds.
	(15) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum backlog.
	(16) May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.
	(17) May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	The following table shows the available data, for outcomes of appeals relating to refused asylum applications (principal applicants) for nationals of Sri Lanka in 2000, 2001, 2002 and from January to September 2003. Allowed appeals may result in grants of asylum, grants of humanitarian protection or grants of discretionary leave, or in appeals to the IAT by the Secretary of State, and do not necessarily result in permanent settlement.
	
		Outcome of appeals(18),(19) determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants—nationals of Sri Lanka—2001 to September 2003 -- Number of principal appellants
		
			  2001 2002 Total to September 2003 
		
		
			  Appeals determined by adjudicators 
			 Total 290 525 4,710 
			 
			 Allowed
			 Total 105 145 580 
			 As percentage of determined 36 28 12 
			 
			 Dismissed
			 Total 180 370 4,015  
			 As percentage of determined 62 70 85 
			 
			 Withdrawn
			 Total 5 10 110 
			 As percentage of determined 2 2 2 
		
	
	(18) Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages). Figures may not add up due to independent rounding.
	(19) Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.
	Information on asylum applications and decisions is published quarterly. The next publication will be available on 24 February 2004 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women were held in prisons in England and Wales owing to no final decision having been reached on their right to remain in the United Kingdom as political or religious asylum seekers on 1 January 2003.

Beverley Hughes: Detention under the Immigration Acts may normally be appropriate while a person's identity and basis of claim is established, where there are reasonable grounds for believing that a person will fail to comply with the terms of temporary admission or release, or to effect removal. In addition, individuals whose asylum claims appear to be capable of being decided quickly may be detained as part of a fast-track asylum process. The majority of those detained for these reasons are held in Immigration Service removal centres. In a small number of individual cases it is necessary for reasons of security and control to hold detained persons in prison accommodation. The immigration or asylum cases of such individuals may be at various stages. Information on case status is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
	As at 27 September 2003 (the latest date for which information is available) there were 100 persons detained in prisons in England and Wales solely under the Immigration Act, who had claimed asylum at some stage.
	Information on the number of asylum applicants detained solely under the Immigration Act is published quarterly on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. Data for those detained at the end of December 2003 will be published on 24 February.

Civic Renewal

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to take part in community action for the purposes of civic renewal.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 12 January 2004
	The Home Office recognises that local communities are best placed to define and solve their own problems and that they should be able to work with the relevant authorities and organisations in a flexible way. This approach is termed civil renewal and can be applied across areas such as policing, criminal justice, and the work of drug action teams.
	In terms of policing and police reform, for example, in the last six months three police authority areas have been identified—Cheshire, Merseyside and Northumbria—to test out new ways to engage with communities. The lessons they learn will be fed through to the work of a Practitioner Panel which will identify and share good practice in citizen-focused policy and community engagement.
	Reform of the criminal justice system will continue to address the challenge of developing more effective community engagement, so that individuals and communities affected by crime can play an active part in solving the crime-related problems in their local areas, and can feel greater confidence in the criminal justice system.
	As another example of the civil renewal approach, the Home Office is monitoring what drug action teams across the country do to engage local communities. Progress is good, including a grants scheme for black and minority ethnic community groups to carry out research into the health needs of their communities and generate ideas for service improvements.
	The Home Office is currently consulting the community and voluntary sector about practical ways to build capacity in communities in order to achieve civil renewal. It has also recently launched the Active Citizenship Centre, which is the centre for research in best practice and case studies of civil renewal.

Correspondence

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham of 10 July 2003.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 16 December 2003
	The Home Office can find no trace of the original correspondence. After being provided with a copy, I replied to the hon. Member on 18 December 2003.

Correspondence

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his normal practice is for the length of time taken to reply to correspondence.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office's published targets for responding to correspondence are as follows:
	
		
			  Length of time taken to reply to correspondence 
		
		
			 Correspondence from Member of parliament relatingto matters other than immigration, nationality andHM Prison Service (20)15  
			 Correspondence from Members of Parliament relatingto immigration, nationality and HM Prison Service (20)20  
			 Correspondence, including emails, from members ofthe public (20)20  
		
	
	(20)Working days
	A great deal of effort has been put into improving performance over the past six months following the introduction of the new Correspondence Tracking System.
	The latest available figures show that 60 per cent. of letters from hon. Members are now replied to within the target. This is an increase on the figure of 36 per cent. achieved in May 2003. Although this indicates a considerable improvement, the department is committed to improving this further.

Cyber-terrorism

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his assessment of the current risk to British security posed by cyber-terrorism.

David Blunkett: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) is continually monitoring the threat of electronic attack on the UK's Critical National Infrastructure. NISCC's assessment is that the overall threat from electronic attack is increasing but remains less attractive than a conventional attack. While the threat of the sort of attack that could disable a critical service is considered to remain low, less serious but damaging attacks that might deface a website or deny service from a website are assessed to be more likely.

Uninsured Drivers

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in each police force area were charged by police with driving without insurance in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Information on the number of people charged is not collected centrally.
	However, the number of prosecutions for the offence of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks is given in the table from 1997 to 2001 by police force area.
	Information for 2002 will be available in the spring.
	
		Total proceedings at the magistrates courts for the offence of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks(21) total offences by persons(22)—England and Wales
		
			  Number of offences 
			 Police force area 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 15,354 16,891 15,094 14,609 13,022 
			 Bedfordshire 4,724 4,449 3,477 3,594 4,651 
			 Cambridgeshire 3,438 3,422 3,056 2,926 2,507 
			 Cheshire 4,836 4,958 5,458 5,725 4,973 
			 Cleveland 3,925 4,203 4,330 4,793 4,789 
			 Cumbria 4,215 3,783 3,596 3,507 3,594 
			 Derbyshire 5,563 5,135 5,118 5,314 5,428 
			 Devon and Cornwall 8,422 7,231 7,493 9,233 8,648 
			 Dorset 5,271 4,198 4,776 6,035 5,262 
			 Durham 3,989 4,260 5,898 5,470 5,394 
			 Essex 7,151 7,020 7,333 7,893 7,705 
			 Gloucestershire 3,574 4,463 4,442 4,173 4,681 
			 Greater Manchester 30,636 30,829 33,203 33,762 37,068 
			 Hampshire 11,764 11,552 11,545 10,557 10,347 
			 Hertfordshire 4,575 5,795 4,744 5,254 5,815 
			 Humberside 4,402 4,278 4,892 5,021 4,729 
			 Kent 6,931 6,955 6,150 9,032 9,588 
			 Lancashire 20,326 18,787 18,097 18,348 16,268 
			 Leicestershire 9,696 9,476 11,053 10,260 10,467 
			 Lincolnshire 4,589 4,999 5,345 4,500 4,083 
			 London, City of 2,669 3,127 2,517 1,738 1,824 
			 Merseyside 10,896 9,741 8,932 10,054 9,466 
			 Metropolitan Police 42,266 35,057 31,269 29,635 32,015 
			 Norfolk 3,928 3,433 3,467 3,951 4,744 
			 Northamptonshire 4,997 4,842 5,560 3,946 2,027 
			 Northumbria 12,469 11,837 13,296 13,192 12,503 
			 North Yorkshire 3,925 3,742 4,001 3,903 3,541 
			 Nottinghamshire 8,078 8,725 7,955 7,748 7,856 
			 South Yorkshire 11,223 11,551 11,759 12,689 14,615 
			 Staffordshire 8,175 8,206 8,018 8,777 6,023 
			 Suffolk 3,254 3,743 4,188 3,918 4,119 
			 Surrey 4,940 3,908 4,436 4,939 5,100 
			 Sussex 9,333 8,201 7,413 6,796 6,814 
			 Thames Valley 11,884 11,945 13,540 12,811 11,723 
			 Warwickshire 4,315 3,761 3,522 4,133 4,204 
			 West Mercia 7,075 8,207 7,446 7,686 7,784 
			 West Midlands 29,862 30,916 27,400 28,140 27,000 
			 West Yorkshire 23,978 23,546 25,769 26,527 27,616 
			 Wiltshire 3,459 4,818 4,706 4,901 5,292 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3,079 2,852 3,017 3,071 2,952 
			 Gwent 4,094 4,476 4,451 4,679 4,757 
			 North Wales 4,859 4,452 -4,101 3,696 3,370 
			 South Wales 14,828 16,186. 15,403 14,615 13,803 
			 England and Wales 396,967 389,956 387,266 391,551 388,167 
		
	
	(21) An offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s143(2).
	(22) Excludes companies, local authorities etc. One person may be proceeded against more than once on the same occasion.

Euro

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many speeches during 2003 he declared support for the Government's policy on the euro.

Caroline Flint: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 12 January 2004, Official Report, column 516W.

Give as You Earn Scheme

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of staff in his Department contribute to a charity through the Give as You Earn scheme; how much money is donated to charity per month by staff in his Department through the scheme; and what steps he is taking to encourage greater participation in the scheme by staff in his Department.

Fiona Mactaggart: Figures for staff in central Home Office and Immigration and Nationality Directorate contributing to the Give as You Earn (GAYE) scheme are outlined in the table. Figures are taken from the November 2003 payroll. Figures for other agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) are currently not available.
	
		Give as You Earn scheme
		
			  
		
		
			 Number of payees contributing 770 out of 20,162 
			 Percentage of payees contributing 3.82 
			 Monthly amount collected £8,877.48 
		
	
	Home Office staff can find information on how to contribute to the GAYE scheme from their personnel unit; or electronically, via our Intranet. Promotion of the scheme has recently taken place in some small areas in London. The Human Resources Policy Section is currently working on a strategy to publicise the scheme across the whole Department. This work has been suspended because of the current pay dispute, but I would envisage that the strategy will be implemented in the spring.

Illegal Entrants (Amnesties)

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amnesties in the form of permission to stay have been offered to people who entered the country illegally during the last 15 years; and when.

Beverley Hughes: There have been no "amnesties" targeted at people who entered illegally in the last 15 years.
	On three occasions during that time special exercises have been undertaken to grant leave to people meeting specified criteria. The administrative exercise in 1992–93 granted exceptional leave to remain to 60 per cent. of those refused asylum—possibly over 20,000. There was no announcement to Parliament.
	The exercise in 1998, announced to Parliament in 1998, granted leave to those whose claims had been subject to delay in processing.
	The focused exercise we announced last October is targeted at families who applied before reforms were made to the appeal system and who have children who are established within our communities.

Immigration Surcharge

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason he is planning to levy a surcharge on those coming to the UK (a) for higher education and (b) to take up employment; what windfall gain this charge is intended to engender; and what his Department means by the term over-cost.

Beverley Hughes: The Asylum and Immigration Bill includes an enabling power to introduce an over-cost charge for non-asylum applications where there are existing powers to charge. We believe it is fair that people who want to come to the UK to study or take up employment should make a contribution in return for the benefits they receive. Final decisions about the level of any additional fees for different categories of applicant, and regarding the timing of their introduction, will be taken only after wide consultation with key stakeholders and other Government Departments.
	The term over-cost refers to setting a fee at a rate that exceeds the administrative cost of determining or processing such an application.

Imprisonable Offences

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many imprisonable offences have been created since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office is responsible for aspects of the criminal law, but records of all imprisonable offences enacted in any parliamentary session are not kept centrally. The following information therefore relates only to Home Office measures. 257 imprisonable offences have been created, modified or re-enacted since 1 May 1997.

Islam

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage leaders of the Islamic faith in the United Kingdom to support the reform of Islamic law which calls for the death penalty for apostates.

Beverley Hughes: While the Government does not generally intervene in matters of religious doctrine, I am aware that Islamic teaching places a strong injunction on Muslims to abide by the laws of the society in which they live and that the great majority of Muslims in the United Kingdom are peaceful and law-abiding members of society. The United Kingdom is fortunate in having a number of wise and responsible Muslim religious and community leaders who advocate a peaceful and constructive way of life. The Government has a continuing dialogue with these leaders, as with leaders of other faiths, and shares their aim of resisting and isolating all forms of extremism.

Islam

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government is taking to protect members of the Islamic faith who convert to Christianity.

Beverley Hughes: There is already substantial legislation to protect people who are victimised or discriminated against because of their religion. For example, the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 already contains provisions which make it a criminal offence to incite or arouse fear of racial or religious hatred. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 created new religiously aggravated offences in England and Wales, under which crimes such as assault and criminal damage attract a higher maximum penalty if they are committed because of the victim's religious belief or lack of belief. We would urge any person whose safety or property is threatened because of their religious beliefs or lack of beliefs to report the matter to the police. The Home Office has recently published a response to the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Religious Offences, in which we have indicated our support in principle for a new offence of incitement to religious hatred in England and Wales.

Passports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a British passport with biometric data and bar coding will be available; and at what cost.

Beverley Hughes: The United Kingdom Passport Service and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are working on a joint programme to issue electronically enabled passports capable of supporting the applications of facial recognition software. The programme plans to start issuing this new form of passport in mid 2005 with a phased roll out through the remainder of that year. This will be a major technological change and it is important to introduce the new form of passports in a safe and controlled way. The possibility of a pilot using diplomatic passports is also being considered.
	All British passports are now issued with a machine readable zone (MRZ) in compliance with ICAO standards; some media reports have described this as a bar code.
	The cost of the new passport will depend on the method of embedding the contactless computer chip into the passport book. Four prototype methods have been developed and are subject to durability tests. Information on likely costs will be developed during the pilots.

Passports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how an applicant for a new British passport will be able to provide biometric information for the passport; and how system security will be guaranteed.

Beverley Hughes: The new British passport will support facial recognition and the biometric data will be provided by applicants in the form of a photograph. These photographs will need to comply with format standards and new guidance notes are being prepared.
	The current security accreditation of passport issuing systems will be maintained and the electronic information stored in the document will be secured by a digital signature at the time of issue.

Passports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the forms of biometric and bar code data that will be encompassed within the new British passport.

Beverley Hughes: The new British passport, which it is planned will be issued from mid 2005 onwards, will store electronically a portrait or image of the applicant of sufficient resolution to support the application of any form of facial recognition software. In addition, some of the information printed on the biodata page of the passport will also be stored electronically.
	This information will be stored on contactless computer chip and will be digitally signed when issued to prevent alteration and confirm authentication.
	All British passports already contain a machine readable zone (MRZ) which contains some of the same biodata; some media reports have described this as a bar code.

Prisons

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to introduce an exit centre in HM Prison Leeds for people leaving prison, to link addiction, mental health, rehabilitation, education and training procedures inside prison with programmes available outside.

Paul Goggins: Funding has been secured for the development of a healthy living centre that will draw upon partnerships with the community to provide better opportunities for prisoners to make informed decisions about lifestyle and healthy living. Community partnerships have also been established to build upon housing and employment provision and to improve the opportunity and quality of education. I would be happy to meet my right hon. Friend to discuss how these projects can help achieve the objectives he outlines.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women were (i) serving a life sentence for murder and (ii) category A prisoners on 1 January.

Paul Goggins: At the end of November 2003, 3,546 males and 133 females were serving a life sentence for murder in prisons in England and Wales.
	At the end of November 2003, 951 males and seven females who were in prisons in England and Wales were classified as Category A prisoners.

Prisons

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the percentage of remand prisoners who are women convicted and awaiting sentence.

Paul Goggins: The number and percentage of remand prisoners who are women convicted and awaiting sentence is given in the following table.
	
		Female remand population in custody
		
			  1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Females on remand 383 395 490 491 538 599 704 748 700 775 945 
			 Untried 271 285 351 344 371 396 426 434 396 430 496 
			 Convicted unsentenced 112 110 139 147 167 203 278 313 304 345 449 
			 Convicted unsentenced (23) 29 28 28 30 31 34 39 42 43 45 47 
		
	
	(23) As a percentage of total female population.
	Note
	The components do not always add to the totals because they have been rounded independently.
	The number of female convicted unsentenced prisoners as a percentage of the total female remand population has increased since 1992; showing a similar increase to the number of male convicted unsentenced prisoners as a percentage of the total male remand population. There are many reasons for this increase. For example, arrangements for plea before venue, as made possible by the Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 1996 and the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, were implemented on 1 October 1997. Plea before venue led to offenders pleading guilty earlier than previously and hence spending less time untried and spending proportionately more time convicted unsentenced.

Sentencing

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) magistrates and (b) judges have sufficient information to make the most effective use of prison and probation services.

Paul Goggins: Pre-sentence reports prepared by the probation service provide information to the sentencing court about the offender and the offence(s) committed to assist the court to decide on a suitable sentence. The report analyses the offence; includes an offender assessment covering accommodation and employment, details of any substance misuse, mental illness, etc.; looks at patterns of offending and the outcome of any earlier court interventions. Each report contains a conclusion as to whether or not the offender is suitable for a community sentence and should make a clear and realistic proposal for sentence designed to protect the public and reduce re-offending, including for custody where that is necessary.
	The Sentencing Guidelines Council will introduce a robust and comprehensive set of sentencing guidelines to assist the courts in their task of ensuring consistent and just disposals in all cases.

Departmental Staff

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of staff employed within his Department are over 55 years of age; and what (a) number and (b) percentage of staff recruited over the last 12 months are over 55 years of age.

Fiona Mactaggart: The following table provides the percentage of staff over 55 in the Department, the numbers of staff recruited in the last 12 months who are over age 55 and what percentage of the overall recruitment is over age 55 in the last 12 months.
	
		
			  Percentage staff over age 55 Number of staff over 55 recruited in the last 12 months Percentage of staff over age 55 recruited in the last 12 months 
		
		
			 Non-Agency Home Office 8.80 149 3.40 
			 Prison Service 14.00 372 6 
			 Forensic Science Service 6.23 8 3 
			 UK Passport Service 10.40 372 5.40

Terrorism

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to his answer of 13 January 2004, Official Report, column 669W, with which offences under the Terrorism Act 2001 the 94 individuals have been charged.

David Blunkett: The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis informs me that this information is not currently held centrally and is being collated. I will write to my hon. and learned Friend when I have the information and place a copy in the Library of the House.

Domestic Violence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the proposed register of violent partners will be administered; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: We propose to create a register of domestic violence civil orders. This will give the police the information they need to be able to enforce orders properly and protect victims. It can be established through a non-legislative route, for example by using the Police National Computer.
	In terms of offenders, those who have been convicted of specific violent and sexual offences and have been given a custodial sentence of 12 months or more are already registered on the Violent and Sex Offenders' Register (ViSOR). ViSOR gives the police a way of risk-assessing and managing dangerous offenders, and covers the majority of domestic violence offenders who will be convicted of offences such as Actual Bodily Harm and Wounding with Intent.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Fuel Poverty (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many fuel poor households there are in (a) Lancashire and (b) each district in Lancashire;
	(2)  how many (a) children and (b) elderly people are living in fuel poor households in each Lancashire district.

Nigel Griffiths: Fuel poverty is defined as a household having to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income on all energy use in order to maintain satisfactory heat in the home. The current published official estimates of fuel poverty are extrapolated from a sample survey of 17,500 dwellings carried out in 2001.
	Figures are not available at county level.

National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money her Department has allocated to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (a) in each of the last three years and (b) for each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department of Trade and Industry has allocated the following grant in aid payments to Citizens Advice (formerly the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux—NACAB) during the past three financial years:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 21.24 
			 2002–03 17.15 
			 2001–02 16.8 
		
	
	My officials are currently discussing future budgetary requirements and allocations with Citizens Advice and a final decision on allocations has not yet been made.

Bank of Credit and Commerce International

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the head of the Insolvency Service last met the liquidators of BCCI.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Chief Executive of the Insolvency Service met one of the liquidators of BCCI on 4 March 2003.

Bank of Credit and Commerce International

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations she has received from hon. Members about the liquidation of BCCI.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In view of the period over which the liquidation of BCCI has continued, this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

Bank of Credit and Commerce International

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to receive the annual report of the liquidators of BCCI.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The next annual report on the liquidation of BCCI will cover the period 16 January 2003 to 15 January 2004.
	I would expect it to be submitted as soon as the accounting and other information can be compiled.

Business Regulations

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to restrict the implementation of new business regulations to two specific dates each year, 1 April and 1 September; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: From 2004 the DTI is commencing domestic employment regulations on two dates each year. This will ensure that changes to employment policy are made in a more coordinated fashion and will provide businesses, employee representatives and individuals with grater clarity and awareness about when changes will be made.
	The common commencement dates are 6 April, the start of the tax year, and 1 October, the date when the minimum wage is revised. I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made in the House of Commons on 14 January 2004, Official Report, columns 35–40WS, listing all the employment regulations and their commencement dates on which the DTI leads and which are expected to commence in 2004. This statement, which will now be published annually, is also available on the Internet at www.dti.gov.uk/er/regs2004.htm
	The Action Plan "A Government Action Plan for Small Business" published by the Small Business Service on 8 January 2004 (available on the Internet at www.sbs.gov.uk) includes the proposal for the Government to consider introducing common commencement dates to other areas of domestic legislation.

Consumer Codes of Practice

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the Office of Fair Trading intends to encourage new code sponsors to apply for OFT approval.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This is a matter for the Chairman of the OFT and I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend directly.

Consumer Credit

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her Department's work with the Office of Fair Trading on consumer credit law reform.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department published its proposals for reform of the consumer credit regime in the recent Consumer Credit White Paper; "Fair, Clear and Competitive—The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century".
	The White Paper is the culmination of a major review of consumer credit law that was launched in July 2001. Our proposals have been drawn up through close consultation with all of the key stakeholders representing industry, consumer groups and enforcement agencies—including the Office of Fair Trading. We are continuing to work closely with the Office of Fair Trading on developing the detailed legislation and guidance needed to implement our proposals.

Consumer Credit

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the Office of Fair Trading intends to improve the fitness checking of consumer credit licence applicants through access to criminal records.

Gerry Sutcliffe: New procedures for checking criminal records are due to be introduced by the OFT this year. The OFT is currently finalising arrangements for the introduction of these new measures which will be announced in Spring 2004.

Consumer Credit

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the feasibility of capping annual percentage rates on credit cards but not on short-term loans;
	(2)  when she expects the research which her Department have commissioned into the way interest ceilings work in other EU countries will be completed.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government are not persuaded of the benefits of introducing interest rate ceilings for credit products of any type. A rate ceiling could actually encourage rates to gravitate towards the ceiling, causing detriment to consumers and competition. It might also encourage lenders to make the cost of credit more expensive to consumers in other ways (for example by introducing higher charges), or lead some lenders to exit the market, denying some consumers access to credit.
	However, the Government have commissioned research into the way these interest ceilings operate in other countries. It is anticipated the research will be published in the spring of this year.

EU Tarrifs/Quotas

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantitative assessment she has made of the likely financial benefit to the least developed countries of the admission by Europe of non-armament imports free of tariffs and quotas.

Mike O'Brien: None. The loss of income for the EU budget arising from the special arrangements for Least Developed Countries of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (known as Everything-but-Arms, EBA) has been costed by the European Commission at Euro239 million in 2001, the first year of the scheme. The loss of income for the previous year, before the special arrangements came into effect, was Euro190 million.

European Directives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 7 January, Official Report, column 380W, on Posting of Workers Directive, what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the wages and conditions enjoyed by migrant workers in the UK under the Posting of Workers Directive compared to permanent British workers.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government undertakes regular surveys into the wages and conditions of workers in the UK, although it does not explicitly make a distinction between migrant and non-migrant workers. In December 2002 a joint Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions report, "Migrants in the UK: their characteristics and labour market outcomes and impacts" found that migrants (defined as the foreign born) earn approximately 19 per cent. more than non-migrants.

European Directives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on breaches of the Working Time Directive in the UK, with particular reference to (i) compulsory signing of opt-outs, (ii) pressure on staff to sign opt-outs, (iii) workplaces where the law is ignored, (iv) staff illegally asked to opt out of their rights to rest breaks and night work limits and (v) sending new staff opt-in and opt-out forms; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The department has commissioned a range of research looking at the Working Time Directive in the UK. The evidence suggests that the majority of UK workers are in workplaces complying with the Working Time Regulations. However, there are some areas of concern.
	A Survey of Workers' Experiences of the Working Time Regulations commissioned by the department in 2001 shows that just under a quarter of 'long hours' workers who have not signed an opt-out perceived employer pressure to work long hours. A second piece of research published by DTI in 2003, the Business Context to Long Hours Working, suggests that in establishments which had sustained long hours working, around three-quarters had no employees sign the opt-out.
	The research commissioned does not specifically look at whether staff have been illegally asked to optout of their rights to rest breaks and night work limits. However, the Survey of Workers' Experiences of the Working Time Regulations found that approximately one in 10 workers 'without full rest breaks' thought they had experienced employer pressure to work without full rest breaks, and a similar proportion of 'night workers' felt pressured to work long hours at night.
	Other research published by DTI in 2003 looking at the Implementation of the Working Time Regulations: a follow up study, reported that one case study employer, an engineering company, had made the signing of an opt-out agreement a condition of employment for new starters who worked nights.
	I am ready to look at suggestions for improving the operation of working time law, including concerns over misuse of the opt-out to make sure it works properly. I recently wrote to the CBI and TUC inviting them to discuss what we may offer to do to meet the concerns identified in the European Commission Communication on working time.

European Directives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the value to UK (a) employers and (b) employees of the UK allowing an opt-out to the Working Time Directive.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The opt-out from the weekly working time limits is valuable as it provides flexibility for employers and the choice for employees to work longer hours if they want to. Without the opt-out, employers would have to reduce the hours of some of their workers. This could cause problems for both employers and employees. A recent study The Business Context to Long Hours Working published by my department in 2003 shows that employers thought the most common barrier to reducing the hours of staff was the needs of the business and workload (55 per cent. of respondents cited this), second to this was the concern that existing staff may resist the reduction in hours as it could limit their choice to work these hours and a reduction in their overtime pay (22 per cent.).

European Directives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library a copy of the research document commissioned by her Department on The use and necessity of Article 18(b)(1) of the Working Time Directive in the United Kingdom.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The research document in question was not commissioned by my Department, but by the European Commission. They have not published it, but I understand they can provide copies of it on request.

Home Security Systems

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to prevent companies selling alarm systems from gaining access to homes by claiming to be carrying out a security check.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government are concerned about the practices adopted by some doorstep traders and have welcomed the Office of Fair Trading's investigation of the doorstep selling market. The investigation report is expected in the next couple of months. Recommendations resulting from the investigation will be considered very carefully.

Insolvency Service

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the administrative costs were of the Insolvency Service in each year since 1997; and if she will break down these costs for 2003–04 by main budget head.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Expenditure of the Insolvency Service as reported in its Annual Report and Accounts since 1997 was.
	
		£000
		
			 Year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1997–98 78,538 
			 1998–99 78,159 
			 1999–2000 80,512 
			 2000–01 80,314 
			 2001–02 81,840 
			 2002–03 90,332 
		
	
	Forecast budgeted expenditure for 2003–04 based on Department of Trade and Industry main budget headings are:
	
		£000
		
			 Budget Forecast 
		
		
			 Pay 48,000 
			 Accommodation 10,400 
			 GAE 10,600 
			 Programme 16,450 
			 Inter Department (non cash) 6,500 
			 Capital 2,925 
			 Non cash accounting adjustments 5,000 
			 Total 99,875 
		
	
	Note:
	The Insolvency Service merged with The Redundancy Payments Service on 1 April 2003. Figures for 2003–04 therefore include the budgeted costs of The Redundancy Payments Service whereas those for prior years do not.

Protectionism (Labelling)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence she has collated on the use of national and regional labelling schemes as a protectionist barrier to trade.

Mike O'Brien: There is no central body of information listing national and regional labelling schemes. However, we work closely with the European Commission to secure the removal or amelioration of labelling schemes that are unnecessarily trade restrictive.

Research Funding

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the funding for (a) the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils and (b) the grant-in-aid funding allocated to the (i) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, (ii) Economic and Social Research Council, (iii) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, (iv) Medical Research Council, (v) Natural Environment Research Council and (vi) Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council in 2003–04 as set out in her Departmental Report 2003; and what payments have been made to each council since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The 2002 Spending Review resulted in the largest increases in the Science Budget for over a decade, with year-on-year growth of 10 per cent. in real terms from 2003–04. Cash 1 Grant-in-Aid payments to each of the Research Councils for each financial year from April 1997 are set out in the table.
	
		£000
		
			  Allocation Actual 
			  2003–04 2002–03 2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 
		
		
			 CCLRC (25)83,447 15,607 9,181 4,075 2,000 1,462 1,206 
			 BBSRC 267,649 241,510 213,874 211,991 195,545 185,739 189,022 
			 ESRC 94,584 82,963 73,647 71,800 70,872 67,506 65,227 
			 EPSRC 463,224 473,534 444,023 413,552 404,796 379,444 386,276 
			 MRC 387,993 365,136 356,248 319,651 304,538 284,098 292,721 
			 NERC 286,359 205,677 187,671 178,850 176,715 173,967 166,150 
			 PPARC 259,062 235,540 210,282 205,774 186,680 209,052 197,869 
		
	
	(24) figures shown in the Departmental Report 2003 are on a resource basis and are not directly comparable with those above. Figures are not available on a consistent resource basis for the whole of the period shown.
	(25) figures also reflect changes to the structure and responsibilities of CCLRC following its Quinquennial Review, published in April 2002, including responsibility for UK subscriptions to the Institut Laue Langevin and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble.

Steel Tariffs

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with the United States on steel tariffs on United Kingdom steel exports.

Mike O'Brien: UK ministers held regular discussions with the United States on steel in the run-up to President Bush's decision on 4 December 2003 to remove the US steel safeguard tariffs. No ministerial level discussions have taken place since then.

Strike Action

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many days have been lost to strike action in each month since January 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information is available in the following table.
	
		Working days lost due to labour disputes January 1997 to November 2003
		
			 Month Working days lost (thousand) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1997  
			 January 25 
			 February 14 
			 March 36 
			 April 48 
			 May 36 
			 June 13 
			 July 11 
			 August 6 
			 September 1 
			 October 19 
			 November 14 
			 December 12 
			   
			 1998  
			 January 16 
			 February 19 
			 March 33 
			 April 14 
			 May 7 
			 June 69 
			 July 59 
			 August 24 
			 September 6 
			 October 7 
			 November 18 
			 December 11 
			   
			 1999  
			 January 9 
			 February 27 
			 March 35 
			 April 4 
			 May 50 
			 June 16 
			 July 8 
			 August 10 
			 September 22 
			 October 19 
			 November 22 
			 December 20 
			   
			 2000  
			 January 11 
			 February 6 
			 March 18 
			 April 11 
			 May 14 
			 June 7 
			 July 36 
			 August 115 
			 September 93 
			 October 14 
			 November 115 
			 December 59 
			   
			 2001  
			 January 52 
			 February 36 
			 March 48 
			 April 16 
			 May 93 
			 June 12 
			 July 24 
			 August 16 
			 September 22 
			 October 39 
			 November 62 
			 December 102 
			   
			 2002  
			 January 94 
			 February 24 
			 March 80 
			 April 19 
			 May 81 
			 June 57 
			 July 521 
			 August 13 
			 September 10 
			 October 42 
			 November 371 
			 December 11 
			   
			 2003  
			 January 91 
			 February 13 
			 March 14 
			 April 9 
			 May 26 
			 June 33 
			 July 47 
			 August 12 
			 September 24 
			 October 131 
			 November 61 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Supermarkets and Suppliers

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to receive the report from the Office of Fair Trading into the code of practice between suppliers and supermarkets. [R]

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is expected to conclude its review of the Code of Practice governing supermarkets' relations with their suppliers shortly. The OFT will then send its results to DTI for formal consideration. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will wait for the results of that review before deciding if any action is necessary.

Trade Policy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is her policy in trade negotiations to pursue a comprehensive approach across the board for all products and all sectors without a priori exceptions.

Mike O'Brien: Yes, where appropriate.

Trade Policy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is her policy to seek bound reduction of high tariffs, particularly tariff plans, with a view to securing greater tariff harmonisation between countries.

Mike O'Brien: Yes.

Trade Policy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is her policy to seek the binding of unbound tariffs at commercially acceptable levels.

Mike O'Brien: Yes.

Trade Policy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is her policy to seek improved geographical coverage of (a) zero-duty sectoral agreements and (b) sectoral tariff harmonisation agreements.

Mike O'Brien: The Government welcomes and encourages increased participation in such agreements.

United Kingdom Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the volume of United Kingdom trade with each of the full members of the G20 was in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: Information on the value of UK trade in goods, by partner country, is published by HM Customs and Excise in Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom. Each annual publication contains data for the latest two years. Business Monitors MA20 for 1994 and 1996 and OTSA for 1998, 2000 and 2002 contain the complete set of information required. These publications are available in the Library.

Unsolicited Telephone Calls

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions she has taken to limit unsolicited telephone calls for the purpose of selling goods and services.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Individual subscribers are offered protection from unsolicited direct marketing calls under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.
	The regulations state that direct marketing calls may not be made to individuals who have:
	(a) previously notified the caller that they do not want to receive such calls, or
	(b) been registered on the Telephone Preference Service for 28 days or longer.
	The Telephone Preference Service is an opt-out scheme run on Ofcom's behalf by the Direct Marketing Association.
	The Government have also committed to allowing corporate subscribers to register on the Telephone Preference Service from spring 2004.

Working Hours

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of (a) total employees, (b) female employees and (c) male employees in the UK worked an average of more than 48 hours per week in the last year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: According to the Spring 2003 Labour Force Survey 15 per cent. of employees usually worked over 48 hours per week. 6 per cent. of female employees and 23 per cent. of male employees usually worked over 48 hours per week.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Director General of the World Trade Organisation since 15 December 2003.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend last spoke to Dr. Supachai himself at the CBI Conference on 17 November 2003, but we are in regular contact with his officials in Geneva.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what general tariff reduction formula is supported by her Department.

Mike O'Brien: To stimulate the expansion of trade and economic growth, the Government wants formulae that, consistent with the Doha Declaration, would substantially increase market access for all goods in all WTO member countries.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will identify technical barriers to trade which harm (a) the United Kingdom and (b) developing countries.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. A major element of Government policy is the creation of fair and open markets at home and aboard. Using the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade and the European Community's Technical Barriers Regulation, we therefore work closely with UK industry, the European Commission and others in seeking to ensure that individual technical regulations are not unnecessarily trade restrictive and, in particular, to secure the removal or amelioration of those that harm UK exports.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the EU's stance at the Geneva trade talks on (a) industrial market access and (b) special and differential treatment.

Mike O'Brien: The UK fully supports the EU's objective of securing an ambitious and comprehensive agreement on non-agricultural market access delivering benefits to all Members and an overall result of the Doha Development Agenda which reflects the needs of different WTO Members through appropriate Special and Differential Treatment.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is her policy to seek greater use of (a) mediation and (b) resolution of trade disputes prior to formal recourse to the World Trade Organisation dispute settlement understanding procedures.

Mike O'Brien: The Government sees the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU), with a binding mechanism for resolving disputes, as one of the key pillars of the WTO and one of the great achievements of the Uruguay Round. We obviously welcome it when parties resolve a dispute without formal recourse to the DSU. We support the Communication issued by the Director-General of the WTO to the WTO membership in 2001 outlining his views on how to make better use of his power to use Good Offices, Conciliation and Mediation. We welcome in particular the use of mediation to resolve a potential dispute between the EU on the one hand and Thailand and the Philippines on the other regarding imports of canned tuna.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she had with Commissioners Lamy and Fischer before the World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Cancun about the advisability of introducing new issues for which the developing countries would be unprepared to the conference agenda.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply. 
	Ministers at the fourth WTO Ministerial Meeting in Doha agreed that negotiations on the four Singapore (i.e. New) Issues would take place after the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference at Cancun. However this was subject to the condition of a decision being taken, by explicit consensus, on the framework of these negotiations. Such a consensus was not reached by Ministers at the Cancun conference and so negotiations have not started on the Singapore Issues.
	Although I did not have any discussions directly with Commissioners Lamy or Fischler about this, since the Cancun ministerial predated my appointment as Secretary of State for International Development, UK Ministers repeatedly made clear that the New Issues were not development priorities. Therefore I welcome the fact that EU Trade Ministers agreed on 2 December that the European Community should "unbundle" the four issues and explore alternative, more flexible approaches, including the possibility of removing some, or all, of the New Issues from the Doha Round.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Civil Service (Disabled People)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out the number of employees in his Department who have a disability, broken down by disability type.

Ian Pearson: Of the 32,384, staff employed by the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Northern Ireland Office, 1,277 (3.9 per cent.) declared a disability. The breakdown by disability type is:
	
		
			 Type of disability Number 
		
		
			 Hearing impairment 189 
			 Visual impairment 57 
			 Speech impairment 43 
			 Mobility impairment 157 
			 Physical co-ordination difficulties 39 
			 Reduced physical capacity 326 
			 Severe disfigurement 17 
			 Learning difficulties 20 
			 Mental illness 96 
			 More than one disability 326 
			 Type of disability not specified 7 
			 Total 1,277

Demography

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the size of each minority group, including Travellers, in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The table gives details of the 2001 Census question relating to ethnic group, including Irish Travellers.
	
		2001 Census population count of ethnic group, including Irish Travellers
		
			 Ethnic group Count Population percentage 
		
		
			 White 1,670,988 99.15 
			 Irish Traveller 1,710 0.10 
			 Mixed 3,319 0.20 
			 Indian 1,567 0.09 
			 Pakistani 666 0.04 
			 Bangladeshi 252 0.01 
			 Other Asian 194 0.01 
			 Black Caribbean 255 0.02 
			 Black African 494 0.03 
			 Other Black 387 0.02 
			 Chinese 4,145 0.25 
			 Other ethnic group 1,290 0.08 
			 Total 1,685,267 100.00

Development Plan, Killyleath

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a decision will be made in relation to the proposed development plan for Gocean, Killyleagh; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: I expect to make a decision on the proposal for Gocean, Killyleagh within the next month.

Healthy Eating

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to promote healthy eating in schools in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The following criteria will be applied:
	1. Vision for future agri-food provision;
	2. Stakeholder consultation—initial and on-going;
	3. Selection/targeting of proposed courses and research;
	4. Capital and other set-up costs; and
	5. Promotion and marketing of relevant courses.
	A decision is expected in early April 2004.

Heart Defibrillators

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the need for the provision of heart defibrillators in (a) leisure facilities, (b) entertainment complexes, (c) shopping centres, (d) other public places used by large numbers of individuals and (e) public places where large numbers of individuals are likely to congregate.

Angela Smith: The effectiveness of public access to defibrillators is currently being assessed through a research project commissioned by the Research and Development Office, on behalf of DHSSPS, entitled "A study of the Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Public Access Defibrillation in Urban and Rural Populations in Northern Ireland".
	This three-year project forms part of a programme of commissioned research to inform policy development for the "Investing for Health" strategy.

International Tendering Fund

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland firms have been assisted by the International Tendering Fund; and what the effect has been on winning overseas contracts.

Ian Pearson: Since the inception of Invest NI on 1 April 2002 the International Tendering Fund has assisted 15 companies. Although no tenders have been won to date, many of these projects are still ongoing. The process can take up to three years for an international tender contract to be awarded, and Invest NI continue to track the progress of all fund participants.

Planning Applications

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what he recommends as a reasonable period of time before an applicant can expect to be informed whether his or her planning application is successful.

Angela Smith: Planning Service is committed to processing all valid planning applications as expeditiously as possible. This is reflected in the Agency's Corporate and Business Plans 2003–04 to 2005–06. But there will be cases which, due to their complexity and scale, take longer.

Racist Incidents (Health Workers)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the number of racist incidents involving (a) nurses, (b) other hospital staff and (c) workers in health and social services in the past 12 months; and what measures are being taken by hospital management and health authorities to address this issue.

Angela Smith: Information on incidents involving violence against staff employed in the HPSS is not currently held in the form which would identify attacks of a racist nature. Reports from HPSS employers indicate that the number of incidents which are perceived as racist in origin is negligible.
	The Department has issued guidance on racial harassment and violence against staff employed in the HPSS. The Department, in consultation with employing authorities, is also developing a mandatory recording and reporting system for incidents involving physical or verbal violence.
	The Department has also been involved with the Police Service of Northern Ireland in developing a joint protocol for police and HPSS employees for the reporting of incidents of verbal and physical abuse.

Regional Cancer Centre

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress on the Northern Ireland regional CAncer Centre, with particular reference to staffing.

Angela Smith: The Cancer Centre construction programme is on schedule for completion by December 2005 with the opening planned for early 2006. So far, significant developments have included the opening of the new Oncology and Haematology Day Hospital on 12 May 2003 and the transfer of Oncology Day Services from Belvoir Park Hospital in June last year.
	The Department's Priorities for Action require Boards and trusts to agree a service development plan for the Cancer Centre, including staffing, drugs and equipment, by 31 March 2004. Significant resources have been received to assist with the staffing of the Cancer Centre, with further allocations of funds expected in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Road Gritting

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what the cost was of gritting roads during the winter of each year since 2000–01;
	(2)  how and by whom decisions are taken regarding when roads in Northern Ireland are gritted; and what flexibility there is in terms of the number treated on any particular occasion.

John Spellar: I have asked the Chief Executive of Roads Service to write to the hon. Lady in response to these questions. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Sheep

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to improve the identification of sheep in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Following on from decisions reached at the EU Farm Council on 17 December 2003, my officials will shortly be consulting the industry on proposals to improve the system for the identification and registration of sheep and goats.

Waterways (Pollution)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convictions there have been for pollution of waterways in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: During the last 12 months, 82 convictions were secured for water pollution offences.
	Further information on enforcement and prosecution is available on the Environment and Heritage Service website at: http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/pubs/publications/Water Pollution Incidents 2001.pdf
	The Water Pollution Incident and Prosecution Statistics Report for 2002 will be available shortly and will be placed in the Library.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Advertising

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department has spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year from 1995–96 to 2003–04 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Our expenditure on publicity, which forms a part of our effort to raise development awareness and understanding of international development issues in the UK, has been as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1995–96 568,775 
			 1996–97 579,916 
			 1999–99 399,755 
			 1999–2000 674,531 
			 2000–01 1,484,281 
			 2001–02 1,286,053 
			 2002–03 (26)1,300,000 
			 2003–04 (27)850,000 
		
	
	(26) Estimate
	(27) Provisional forecast figure
	We do not hold a separate advertising budget. The majority of advertising relates to recruitment advertising in newspapers and journals. Figures for the four calendar years are as follows:
	2000: 751,972
	2001: 1,208,191
	2002: 914,571
	2003: 871,246

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to send an independent international commission of inquiry to Darfur.

Hilary Benn: At present limited access in Darfur means that the various humanitarian agencies are unable to fully assess the situation on the ground, or to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable.
	So we are calling on all parties to re-establish a ceasefire to allow unfettered humanitarian access. We have offered our good offices to all parties to help them reach a peaceful solution, and have suggested that there may be a role for the international community in assisting in the implementation of a peace deal.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had on human rights abuses in Darfur with the Sudanese authorities.

Hilary Benn: I discussed the human rights situation in Sudan with the President during my visit to Khartoum on 10 December 2003.
	We continue to be concerned about the human rights situation in the whole of Sudan, regardless of religious or ethnic background. The promotion of human rights, through advocacy with the government and support for NGOs, remains one of our priorities.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction have received irrevocable debt relief.

Hilary Benn: Of the thirty-seven countries that could potentially qualify for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries' (HIPC) Initiative, twenty-seven have reached Decision Point and have therefore received interim relief on their debt service payments. This means that they no longer have to make any repayments on a substantial portion (around two-thirds) of their debts and are able to use these resources for increased social expenditure. Of these thirty-seven countries, nine have reached Completion Point and have received an irrevocable reduction in their stock of debt. A further ten are expected to reach Completion Point by the end of 2004.

Middle East

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects his Department are involved in in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank, aimed at improving public access to water for (i) consumption and (ii) agriculture.

Hilary Benn: We have had broad engagement with the Palestinian Water Authority for several years supporting the effective delivery of water services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Four projects that have improved access to potable water, sanitation and environmental health in some of the poorest communities have just been brought to a successful conclusion. We currently fund two projects.
	Our support for the Sustainable Management of the West Bank and Gaza Strip Aquifers project will enhance the Palestinian Water Authority's understanding of the western aquifer, which is an essential source of water in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The project includes consideration of the management and allocation of water resources between various uses—agriculture, industry and domestic—to allow the implications of alternative policies to be assessed. We also support a Water Access and Storage project to enable villages in the south Hebron district of the West Bank that do not have access to the networked water supply to obtain more secure access to drinking water and sustainable improved sanitation.

Global Health Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact over the last 12 months of the Global Health Fund in tackling (a) HIV/AIDS, (b) tuberculosis and (c) malaria.

Hilary Benn: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) was founded in January 2002. We recognise that the GFATM is still a young partnership and that it has just started to finance programmes within countries. The impact of GFATM is difficult to measure at this early stage but its 2002–03 annual report provides very good evidence of progress made to date on each of these diseases. Disbursement is now accelerating we expect to see more evidence of the impact of the Global Fund.
	DFID has been working closely with the Board on effective ways to measure the GFATM's performance and evaluate its processes. We are working to ensure that the GFATM has a clear poverty focus, sound financial systems in place and alignment of its activities with national programmes and processes.

Infant Mortality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what the result has been of his Department's technical and financial contribution to the development and implementation of effective health programmes in the 16 African countries affected by his public service agreement target on mortality among children aged under five years;
	(2)  what the result has been of his Department's engagement with health sector development in 10 of the 16 countries in Africa affected by his Public Service Agreement target to reduce mortality amongst people aged under five years.

Hilary Benn: Of the 16 PSA countries, six have experienced a rise in child mortality between 1990 and 2001. The other ten have made varying degrees of progress but are all generally some way below the level needed to reach the PSA target.
	Child mortality has multiple and complex causes. Economic decline and associated malnutrition is likely to have played a major role in constraining improvement in child health. Several African countries have also experienced conflict and civil unrest, which further undermine attempts to reduce child mortality. Other significant reasons for lack of progress include problems within the performance of the health sector itself and HIV/AIDS.
	However, in a number of the PSA countries some encouraging progress has been achieved against intermediate health indicators. For example, in Ghana there has been progress with immunisation rates and deployment of nurses. Tanzania has seen improved immunisation rates, significant Vitamin A and insecticide-treated mosquito net distribution, improved malaria treatment and strengthened health planning and management at district level. In Uganda, use of outpatient services has increased and immunisation rates have risen. All of these improvements have the potential to improve child mortality rates.
	The Department for International Development's contribution to these improvements in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and other countries has been provided in a number of ways, including through support for the health sector, budget support, and technical assistance. It is also important to recognise that DFID is not working alone, and that changes are due to the combined efforts of the countries concerned and other donors as well as ourselves. We will continue to work with other donors to ensure that affordable and sustainable health outcomes are given due priority and support in national planning and budgeting processes.

Iraq

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what studies have been made of cancer rates in Iraq (a) from 1991 to 2002 and (b) since the end of hostilities on 1 May 2003.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not aware of any studies of cancer rates carried out by the Iraqi Ministry of Health, Coalition Provisional Authority or other bodies. The ability accurately to measure localised increases in cancer rates—especially if there is cancer due to radiation, which can take years to develop—requires a well-developed national disease surveillance system, which Iraq does not currently have. The World Health Organisation plans to carry out a study to investigate the effects of the use of depleted uranium in ordnance used by military forces, which some individuals have claimed has caused an increase in cancer rates in Iraq, using that country as a key focus. This study will be subject to funding and to an improvement in the security situation.

Iraq

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on (a) secondments, (b) consultants and (c) security as part of its expenditure on humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: We have spent (a) £2.1 million on secondments, (b) £6.3 million on consultants and (c) £11.4 million on security measures in Iraq to date. In addition, we have recently contributed £3.6 million to UNSECOORD for security measures for UN operations in Iraq.

Iraq

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts his Department have made to employ Iraqis in development work in that country.

Hilary Benn: DFID's approach is to encourage the involvement and employment of Iraqis as much as possible in all the work we fund. For some projects, this has included direct employment of Iraqi staff and sub-contracting of Iraqi firms. By way of example, the vast majority of the construction work DFID has funded in southern Iraq has been sub-contracted to local firms. One of the criteria we have set for our £20 million Essential Infrastructure Programme has been to give priority to projects that create the most employment. We are also considering funding for direct employment generation schemes in southern Iraq.

Jharkand

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department are involved in development work in the Indian state of Jharkand.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: We have agreed with the Union Government to working closely with four focus states committed to poverty reduction, including on their programmes of fiscal and public sector reform, increasing access to basic health, education, and urban services for the poor and empowerment of the marginalised. Although Jharkand is not one of DFID's focus states, through DFID India's National Programme we support the efforts of the Union Government and civil society nationwide. For example, Jharkand is covered by DFID support for basic education, maternal and child health and civil society; Jharkand is also a major beneficiary of DFID's Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme.

Low-income Countries

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's bilateral programme has gone to low-income countries in each of the last six years.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is shown in the following table. Note that it can be measured in a number of ways and the figures corresponding to the target in DFID's Public Service Agreement are those in the middle category i.e. all country specific bilateral assistance excluding humanitarian assistance.
	
		DFID Bilateral Programme: Percentage To Low Income Countries(28)
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Country Specific: All Recipient Countries 
			 Low Income Countries 65 73 67 76 78 80 
			  Country Specific: All Recipient Countries(excluding Humanitarian Assistance 
			 Low Income Countries 67 72 75 78 78 80 
			 Country Specific: Developing Countries only(29) 
			 Low Income Countries 72 78 71 79 82 84 
		
	
	(28) Countries are classified using 1998 GNI per capita estimates used by the DAC for aid flows up to 2002. This table covers only bilateral aid that can be attributed to individual countries. Low Income Countries are those with a GNI per capita in 1998 below $760.
	(29) This includes all countries defined as developing by DAC, i.e. those on Part I of the DAC list of recipient countries.
	Further details can be found in Table 4 of our annual publication 'Statistics on International Development', a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Malaria

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the United Kingdom will give developing countries to enact the World Health Organisation's recommendation that artemisinin-based combination therapy should be used in malaria outbreaks to prevent the disease developing further resistance to treatment.

Hilary Benn: Artemisinin (or Artesunate) is a naturally occurring substance that has been used in China in the treatment of malaria for a long period of time. It can be used by itself, but is more useful when combined with other effective anti-malarials as it enhances their useful life by decreasing the possibility of drug resistance. The World Health Organisation and Roll Back Malaria recommend the use of combined therapies as the first option wherever possible.
	The Department for International Development has committed £48 million to Roll Back Malaria (RBM) over a four and a half year period (September 1999—March 2004). RBM provides coordinated support for sustainable action against malaria. This includes providing technical support to Governments to ensure that their anti-malarial drug policies enable those suffering from malaria to get early treatment and to access affordable and appropriate medicines. Their advice covers the use of artemisinin- based combination therapies. As an active partner of RBM, my Department works to ensure that RBM provides sound evidence based support for the effective use of resources, including those available from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to which we have committed a total of US$280 million.
	DFID has also engaged more directly in partnerships with industry to transform research into drugs. We recently worked with GlaxoSmithKline, the WHO programme on Tropical Diseases Research and Liverpool University in the development of a cheap new drug called LAPDAP. In order to make the best use of LAPDAP, further research to combine it with artemisinin is being undertaken, managed under an umbrella organisation called the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), which DFID also supports. MMV has a portfolio of projects, which include the development of a number of artemisinin-based combination therapies using a variety of drugs. DFID is funding MMV with £1 million per year for five years. Since its inception in 1999 MMV has demonstrated significant progress towards reaching its objective of two new drugs in the next 10 years.
	Artemisinin-based therapies are, like many new treatments, relatively expensive. This highlights the need for the UK Government to work with others to reduce the cost of effective new drugs. The Prime Minister's high-level Working Group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in the Developing World recommended differential pricing of essential medicines for the developing world. My Department is working with other Government Departments to secure greater international commitment to affordable pricing. The Government worked with G8 colleagues at last year's Evian summit to secure commitment to action on this issue in line with the Working Group's recommendations.

Millennium Development Goals

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made by each country in meeting the millennium development goal to halve the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day by 2015.

Hilary Benn: Comparable data needed to assess trends in the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day are available only at the regional level. The most recent data and estimates for 2015 are as follows.
	
		Regional breakdown of poverty estimates in developing countries
		
			  1990 2000 2015 
		
		
			 East Asia and Pacific 29.4 14.5 2.3 
			 Europe and Central Asia 1.4 4.2 1.3 
			 Latin America and the Caribbean 11.0 10.8 7.6 
			 Middle East and North Africa 2.1 2.8 1.2 
			 South Asia 41.5 31.9 16.4 
			 Sub-Saharan Africa 47.4 49.0 42.3 
			 Total 28.3 21.6 12.5 
		
	
	Source:
	World Bank, Global Economic Prospects 2004
	It is clear from these figures that while the global picture of income poverty improved over the 1990s and we are likely to reach the target overall, progress across regions varies. The following table sets out the latest available information on the proportion of the population below $1 a day by country 1 .
	
		
			 Year Country Percentage of population below$1 a day(31) 
		
		
			 1995 Algeria <2 
			 1998 Armenia 12.8 
			 2001 Azerbaijan 3.7 
			 2000 Bangladesh 36.0 
			 2000 Belarus <2 
			 1999 Bolivia 14.4 
			 1998 Brazil 9.9 
			 2001 Bulgaria 4.7 
			 1998 Burundi 58.4 
			 1996 Cameroon 33.4 
			 1998 Chile <2 
			 2000 China 16.1 
			 1998 Colombia 14.4 
			 1998 Costa Rica 6.9 
			 1995 Cote d'lvoire 12.3 
			 2000 Croatia <2 
			 1996 Czech Republic <2 
			 1998 Dominican Republic <2 
			 1995 Ecuador 20.2 
			 2000 Egypt 3.1 
			 1997 El Salvador 21.4 
			 1998 Estonia <2 
			 1999–2000 Ethiopia 81.9 
			 1998 Gambia 59.3 
			 1998 Georgia <2 
			 1999 Ghana 44.8 
			 2000 Guatemala 16.0 
			 1998 Guyana <2 
			 1998 Honduras 23.8 
			 1998 Hungary <2 
			 1999–2000 India 34.7 
			 2000 Indonesia 7.2 
			 1998 Iran <2 
			 2000 Jamaica <2 
			 1997 Jordan <2 
			 1996 Kazakhstan 1.5 
			 1997 Kenya 23.0 
			 1998 Korea, Rep (South) <2 
			 2000 Kyrgyzstan 2.0 
			 1997–98 Laos 26.3 
			 1998 Latvia <2 
			 2000 Lithuania <2 
			 1998 Macedonia (FYR of) <2 
			 1999 Madagascar 49.1 
			 1997–98 Malawi 41.7 
			 1997 Malaysia <2 
			 1995 Mauritania 28.6 
			 1998 Mexico 8.0 
			 2001 Moldova 22.0 
			 1995 Mongolia 13.9 
			 1999 Morocco <2 
			 1996 Mozambique 37.9 
			 1995 Nepal 37.7 
			 1998 Nicaragua 82.3 
			 1995 Niger 61.4 
			 1997 Nigeria 70.2 
			 1998 Pakistan 13.4 
			 1998 Panama 7.6 
			 1998 Paraguay 19.5 
			 1996 Peru 15.5 
			 2000 Philippines 14.6 
			 1998 Poland <2 
			 2000 Romania 2.1 
			 2000 Russian Federation 6.1 
			 1995 Senegal 26.3 
			 1996 Slovak Republic <2 
			 1998 Slovenia <2 
			 1995 South Africa <2 
			 1995–96 Sri Lanka 6.6 
			 1998 Tajikistan 10.3 
			 2000 Thailand <2 
			 1995 Tunisia <2 
			 2000 Turkey <2 
			 1998 Turkmenistan 12.1 
			 1996 Uganda 82.2 
			 1999 Ukraine 2.9 
			 1998 Uruguay <2 
			 1998 Uzbekistan 19.1 
			 1998 Venezuela 15.0 
			 1998 Vietnam 17.7 
			 1998 Yemen 15.7 
			 1998 Zambia 63.7 
		
	
	(30) Countries without any internationally comparable data have been excluded from the table.
	(31) The percentage of the population living below the commonly used international $1 a day standard, measured in 1993 international prices and adjusted for local currency using purchasing power parities.
	Source:
	World Bank "2003 World Development Indicators"

Millennium Development Goals

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the percentage change between 1990 and 2003 was in the numbers of people below the minimum level of dietary energy consumption in each country covered by the millennium development goals.

Hilary Benn: The information we have ready access to relates to the percentage of people below minimum levels of dietary energy consumption not absolute numbers and is not available for all countries 1 . The most recent information relates to the period 1998–2000. The available information and the change over the period is given in the following table.
	1 Countries without any internationally comparable data have been excluded from the table.
	
		
			 Country 1990–92 1998–2000 Change over period (percentage points) 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 63 70 -7 
			 Algeria 5 6 -1 
			 Angola 61 50 11 
			 Bangladesh 35 35 0 
			 Benin 19 13 6 
			 Bolivia 26 23 3 
			 Botswana 17 25 -8 
			 Brazil 13 10 3 
			 Burkina Faso 23 23 0 
			 Burma 10 6 4 
			 Burundi 49 69 -20 
			 Cambodia 43 36 7 
			 Cameroon 32 25 7 
			 Central African Republic 49 44 5 
			 Chad 58 32 26 
			 Chile 8 4 4 
			 China 16 9 7 
			 Colombia 17 13 4 
			 Congo (Dem Rep) 32 73 -41 
			 Congo 37 32 5 
			 Costa Rica 6 5 1 
			 Cote d'Ivoire 18 15 3 
			 Cuba 5 13 -8 
			 Dominican Republic 27 26 1 
			 Ecuador 8 5 3 
			 Egypt 5 4 1 
			 El Salvador 12 14 -2 
			 Eritrea (33)— 58  
			 Ethiopia (33)— 44  
			 Gabon 11 8 3 
			 Gambia 21 21 0 
			 Ghana 35 12 23 
			 Guatemala 14 25 -11 
			 Guinea 40 32 8 
			 Haiti 64 50 14 
			 Honduras 23 21 2 
			 India 25 24 1 
			 Indonesia (33)— 6  
			 Iran 4 5 -1 
			 Iraq 7 27 -20 
			 Jamaica 14 9 5 
			 Jordan 4 6 -2 
			 Kenya 47 44 3 
			 Korea Dem Rep (North) 18 34 -16 
			 Kuwait 22 4 18 
			 Laos 29 24 5 
			 Lebanon (33)— 3  
			 Lesotho 27 26 1 
			 Liberia 33 39 -6 
			 Madagascar 35 40 -5 
			 Malawi 49 33 16 
			 Malaysia 3 (33)—  
			 Mali 25 20 5 
			 Mauritania 14 12 2 
			 Mauritius 6 5 1 
			 Mexico 5 5 0 
			 Mongolia 34 42 -8 
			 Morocco 6 7 -1 
			 Mozambique 69 55 14 
			 Namibia 15 9 6 
			 Nepal 19 19 0 
			 Nicaragua 30 29 1 
			 Niger 42 36 6 
			 Nigeria 13 7 6 
			 Pakistan 25 19 6 
			 Panama 19 18 1 
			 Papua New Guinea 25 27 -2 
			 Paraguay 18 14 4 
			 Peru 40 11 29 
			 Philippines 26 23 3 
			 Rwanda 34 40 -6 
			 Saudi Arabia 4 3 1 
			 Senegal 23 25 -2 
			 Sierra Leone 46 47 -1 
			 Somalia 67 71 -4 
			 Sri Lanka 29 23 6 
			 Sudan 31 21 10 
			 Swaziland 10 12 -2 
			 Syria 5 3 2 
			 Tanzania 36 47 -11 
			 Thailand 28 18 10 
			 Togo 28 23 5 
			 Trinidad & Tobago 13 12 1 
			 Uganda 23 21 2 
			 United Arab Emirates 3 (33)—  
			 Uruguay 6 3 3 
			 Venezuela 11 21 -10 
			 Vietnam 27 18 9 
			 Yemen 36 33 3 
			 Zambia 45 50 -5 
			 Zimbabwe 43 38 5 
		
	
	(32) not available
	Source:
	World Development Indicators 2003

Millennium Development Goals

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made by each country in meeting the millennium development goals to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Hilary Benn: Progress towards the hunger target varies between countries. According to the UN Human Development Report 2003 in 21 countries a larger proportion of people are going hungry than in 1990. Elsewhere progress is being made, such as in the three Sub-Saharan Africa countries with the highest proportions of people suffering from hunger in 1990 (Mozambique, Angola and Chad) where estimates of hunger have dropped considerably.
	I refer the hon. Member to my other answer [UIN 149063] for the most recent trend data of the percentage of people below minimum levels of dietary energy consumption.

Millennium Development Goals

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the change was between 1990 and 2003 in the share of the poorest quintile in national consumption in each country covered by the millennium development goals.

Hilary Benn: Quintile shares are calculated from income and consumption surveys. Developing countries carry out such surveys relatively infrequently and the information available does not allow us to examine changes between 1990 and 2003. The following table gives the latest statistics available by country and the year to which it refers 1 .
	1 Countries without any internationally comparable data have been excluded from the table.
	
		Latest statistics available
		
			 Country Shares of income or consumption of poorest quintile Year 
		
		
			 Algeria 7 1995 
			 Armenia 7 1998 
			 Azerbaijan 7 2001 
			 Bangladesh 9 2000 
			 Belarus 8 2000 
			 Bolivia 4 1999 
			 Brazil 2 1998 
			 Bulgaria 7 2001 
			 Burkina Faso 4 1998 
			 Burundi 5 1998 
			 Cambodia 7 1997 
			 Cameroon 5 1996 
			 Chile 3 1998 
			 China 6 1998 
			 Colombia 3 1996 
			 Costa Rica 4 1997 
			 Cote d'lvoire 7 1995 
			 Croatia 8 2001 
			 Czech Republic 10 1996 
			 Dominican Republic 5 1998 
			 Ecuador 5 1995 
			 Egypt 9 1999 
			 El Salvador 3 1998 
			 Estonia 7 1998 
			 Ethiopia 2 2000 
			 Gambia 4 1998 
			 Georgia 6 2000 
			 Ghana 6 1999 
			 Guatemala 4 1998 
			 Guyana 4 1999 
			 Honduras 2 1996 
			 Hong Kong 5 1996 
			 Hungary 10 1998 
			 India 8 1997 
			 Indonesia 8 2000 
			 Iran 5 1998 
			 Israel 7 1997 
			 Jamaica 7 2000 
			 Jordan 8 1997 
			 Kazakhstan 8 2001 
			 Kenya 6 1997 
			 Korea, Rep (South) 8 1998 
			 Kyrgyzstan 9 2001 
			 Laos 8 1997 
			 Latvia 8 1998 
			 Lesotho 1 1995 
			 Lithuania 8 2000 
			 Macedonia (FYR of) 8 1998 
			 Madagascar 6 1999 
			 Malawi 5 1997 
			 Malaysia 4 1997 
			 Mauritania 6 1995 
			 Mexico 3 1998 
			 Moldova 7 2001 
			 Mongolia 6 1998 
			 Morocco 7 1999 
			 Mozambique 6 1997 
			 Nepal 8 1996 
			 Nicaragua 2 1998 
			 Niger 3 1995 
			 Nigeria 4 1997 
			 Pakistan 9 1999 
			 Panama 4 1997 
			 Papua New Guinea 5 1996 
			 Paraguay 2 1998 
			 Peru 4 1996 
			 Philippines 5 2000 
			 Poland 8 1998 
			 Romania 8 2000 
			 Russian Federation 5 2000 
			 Senegal 6 1995 
			 Singapore 5 1998 
			 Slovak Republic 9 1996 
			 Slovenia 9 1998 
			 South Africa 2 1995 
			 Sri Lanka 8 1995 
			 St Lucia 5 1995 
			 Tajikistan 8 1998 
			 Thailand 6 2000 
			 Tunisia 6 1995 
			 Turkey 6 2000 
			 Turkmenistan 6 1998 
			 Uganda 7 1996 
			 Ukraine 9 1999 
			 Uruguay 4 1998 
			 Uzbekistan 9 2000 
			 Venezuela 3 1998 
			 Vietnam 8 1998 
			 Yemen 7 1998 
			 Zambia 3 1998 
			 Zimbabwe 5 1995 
		
	
	Source
	World Development Indicators 2003

Millennium Development Goals

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress each country has made in meeting the millennium development goal that, by 2015, all children will be able to commence a full course of primary schooling.

Hilary Benn: Generally, progress towards the 2015 target has been good but huge challenges still remain. The Education For All Global Monitoring Report identifies 36 countries at serious risk of not achieving the goal, of which 22 are in sub-Saharan Africa. There is increased evidence since the World Education Forum in April 2000, that many countries now have better education sector policies for making progress. Increased international support, including our own commitment of £1 billion over the period 2002–07, is helping African Governments to improve primary school enrolment.
	A comprehensive table listing the primary net enrolment ratio for each country where comparable data is available can be found in Table 5 in the statistical annex of the recent Education For All Global Monitoring Report (www.efareport.unesco.org).

Trade Liberalisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what input his Department has made into the (a) design and (b) implementation of the initiative by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to help developing countries to overcome problems in adjusting to a more liberal trading environment.

Hilary Benn: One of the more positive outcomes of the WTO ministerial in Cancun was the joint announcement by the World Bank and the IMF of a new trade-related initiative. Its overall aim is to assist poor countries with the adjustment costs of transition to trade liberalisation and help them capitalise on the potential benefits. DFID, in collaboration with others, has for some time been actively encouraging the World Bank and IMF to address more systematically the adjustment costs of trade liberalisation and the need for trade-related technical assistance. The collapse of negotiations in Cancun allows more time for the initiative to be developed and to encourage the Bank and Fund to work together more closely in designing mechanisms.

Overseas Aid

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries receive (a) bilateral and (b) multilateral aid from the UK Government; and how much each received from his Department in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04.

Hilary Benn: Information on expenditure by the UK Government on development assistance is given in our annual publication "Statistics on International Development', a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	Tables 7.1–7.5 (pages 115–152) contain the information requested for bilateral assistance in 2002–03. The column headed "Total DFID Programme" hows how much each country received from DFID while that headed "Total Gross Public Expenditure" gives total Government spend. Figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.
	Table 8 shows contributions to multilateral organisations from both DFID and the Government as a whole for 2002–03. By definition, this expenditure cannot be broken down by country as the UK contribution is pooled with those of other donors. Figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.

UN Microcredit Year

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what preparations his Department are making for the UN Microcredit Year in 2005.

Hilary Benn: DFID strongly supports the underlying principles of the UN's Year of Microcredit 2005, which seeks to increase international efforts to spread microfinance to more low income clients worldwide. Donors, including DFID, have supported policies and institutions to extend the outreach of sustainable microcredit and other financial services to the poor for many years. DFID has held several discussions with the UN organisers and has been instrumental in linking them with The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), which promotes best practice in the microfinance industry. We intend to support specific events in the UK and will announce these this autumn.
	Background
	UN Year of Microcredit 2005
	The UN General Assembly, through resolution 53/197 in December 1998, proclaimed 2005 as the International Year of Microcredit. Following consultations with Member States in the second half of 2003, a Programme of Action for the Year has been agreed. The UN Capital Development Fund and the UN Secretariat's Department of Economic and Social Affairs will jointly coordinate the preparation activities of the UN system for the Year. The UK and others supported wording in the Programme of Action resolution that emphasised the wider contribution of microfinance, and financial sector development, beyond a concentration on microcredit itself. Hence the Programme of Action often refers to microfinance, in addition to microcredit, and refers to savings, asset creation, and economic security.
	The UN Programme proposes that the Year will be launched in November 2004, that Member States will establish National Committees, and that 2004 should be a year of preparation. DFID officials have met initially with UNCDF Secretariat staff, and also with Citigroup, one of the private sector sponsors. UNCDF have noted that donor funding will not be needed at the international level.
	The key to the success of the Year will be UN countries adopting the General Assembly Resolution, and signing up to active steps to enable expansion of access to microfinance at local level. Whilst UN "Years" are vulnerable to a charge of more talk and less action, the Year of Microcredit is already attracting attention from private and public sectors including Citigroup, Bank of International Settlements and others.
	The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Microfinance is very likely to take an interest in the International Year of Microcredit. The Secretary of State met with them on 21 October. DFID officials are also checking whether other Departments will have an interest in the Year (Treasury, DTI). Following further meetings, DFID will recommend a programme of action for the Year to the Secretary of State.
	DFID Support to Extend Access to Microfinance
	Current DFID-supported initiatives also include:
	The £18 million Financial Deepening Challenge Fund, using innovative mechanisms to encourage banks and other financial service providers to extend financial services for the poor (www.challengefunds.org).
	AfriCap (www.africapfund.com), specialist equity fund investing in emerging microfinance institutions in Africa.
	MicroSave-Africa (www.MicroSave-Africa.com) a programme that tests new pro-poor savings, insurance, and loan products and promotes market-led microfinance.
	In addition, country-led programmes to develop the microfinance industry are under way in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, India and Bangladesh.

UN Microcredit Year

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the United States since the breakdown of the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Cancun about the likely impact of the United States Farm Bill on the (a) economies of and (b) living standards in, developing countries.

Hilary Benn: The Government conducted intensive discussion with the United States officials and ministers when the US Farm Bill was first introduced in 2002. Since Cancun there has been continuing contact between UK and US officials about all aspects of the WTO Round, including on the question of US domestic subsidies and their potential impact on the livelihoods of producers in developing countries.

UN Microcredit Year

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people made up the delegations of the developing countries at the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Cancun.

Hilary Benn: According to the official list of delegates provided by the WTO Secretariat, there were over 1700 accredited delegates from Developing countries at the WTO ministerial conference in Cancun.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Government of Zimbabwe have reduced their arrears to the World Bank since December 2002.

Hilary Benn: The Government of Zimbabwe have not reduced their arrears to the World Bank since December 2002. At the end of October 2003, Zimbabwe's arrears were approximately £150 million.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of (a) the level and (b) the geographical distribution of food shortages in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee's survey in April last year estimated that approximately 4.4 million people in rural areas and 1.1 million people in urban areas would require food aid during the pre-harvest months of January, February and March 2004. However, it is now clear that this figure is an underestimate and is being revised upwards to 5.1 million people in rural areas. Results of a comprehensive urban vulnerability assessment are yet to be released, but are also expected to show a significant increase in people requiring humanitarian assistance.
	DFID works in close collaboration with UN agencies and other development partners to monitor the levels and geographical distribution of food shortages throughout Zimbabwe. Relevant factors include employment levels, commodity prices, income levels, agricultural activity and rainfall levels, HIV prevalence rates and alternative coping mechanisms.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the extent of political abuse by the Zimbabwe Government of food aid provided by his Department.

Hilary Benn: The World Food Programme and others distributing international food aid all have clear procedures and monitoring systems in place to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed according to need. These systems are working well and there have been no significant cases of political interference with international aid, including that provided by the UK, in recent months. Along with the UN, EU and other donors, we continue to make it clear to the Zimbabwe Government that we will not tolerate political interference in the distribution of food aid.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of how much food aid is reaching the people of Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: In December 2003, the WFP and other agencies distributed general rations to 3.5 million beneficiaries, while many other vulnerable people received food through targeted programmes. As well as being a major contributor to WFP, DFID's separate NGO programme is reaching over a million beneficiaries a month through home-based care, school and therapeutic feeding schemes.
	The level of food aid reaching the people of Zimbabwe is a credit to the logistical capabilities of the WFP and the dedication of the implementing NGOs. Incidents of political interference remain few and isolated. DFID continues to work in close collaboration with the WFP and other partners to ensure that food aid is distributed in an apolitical manner and that those in most need receive assistance.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Professor Sir Roy Meadow

Tim Loughton: To ask the Solicitor-General in how many cases in which parents were charged with causing the death of a child, was expert evidence given by Professor Sir Roy Meadow.

Harriet Harman: The recently published judgment in Angela Cannings has raised concerns over the safety of a number of convictions and as such will have serious and far-reaching implications. The Court of Appeal said that in relation to unexplained infant deaths when the outcome of the trial depended exclusively or almost exclusively on a serious disagreement between distinguished and reputable experts it will often be unsafe to proceed.
	As soon as the Court gave its judgement that Angela Cannings' conviction was unsafe, the Attorney and I requested that all cases which potentially involve sudden infant death syndrome be identified as quickly as possible. By the time the Court published its written judgement some 258 convictions involving the murder, manslaughter or infanticide of an infant under two by its parent had been identified.
	Those convictions will now be reviewed as a matter of urgency to establish how many were convictions that the Court of Appeal judgement in Angela Cannings indicated may be unsafe. Priority will be accorded to those persons who are still serving a sentence of imprisonment. While I cannot give any figures at present for the number of cases in which parents were charged with causing the death of a child and in which expert evidence was given, the identification and review of the 258 convictions may enable further and more detailed information to be given in due course.

Professor Sir Roy Meadow

Tim Loughton: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) women and (b) men are serving jail sentences as a result of court cases in which expert evidence was given by Professor Sir Roy Meadow.

Harriet Harman: The recently published judgment in Angela Cannings has raised concerns over the safety of a number of convictions and as such will have serious and far-reaching implications. The Court of Appeal said that in relation to unexplained infant deaths when the outcome of the trial depended exclusively or almost exclusively on a serious disagreement between distinguished and reputable experts it will often be unsafe to proceed.
	As soon as the Court gave its judgement that Angela Cannings' conviction was unsafe, the Attorney and I requested that all cases which potentially involve sudden infant death syndrome be identified as quickly as possible. By the time the Court published its written judgement some 258 convictions involving the murder, manslaughter or infanticide of an infant under two by its parent had been identified.
	Those convictions will now be reviewed as a matter of urgency to establish how many were convictions that the Court of Appeal judgment in Angela Cannings indicated may be unsafe. Priority will be accorded to those persons who are still serving a sentence of imprisonment. While I cannot give any figures at present for those men and women who are serving jail sentences in which Professor Meadow gave evidence, the process of identifying and reviewing the convictions I have mentioned above may enable further and more detailed information to be given in due course.

Security Passes

Mark Oaten: To ask the Solicitor-General how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in (i) the Department and (ii) departmental agencies in the last 12 months.

Harriet Harman: Headquarters was notified that 81 identity cards/access cards had been lost and five had been stolen.
	Twenty eight security passes were reported as lost in the Treasury Solicitor's Department within the last one to two months. All 28 passes were reported as lost rather than stolen.
	Five security passes were reported as lost in the Serious Fraud Office within the last 12 months. All 5 were reported as lost rather than stolen.
	Six security passes were reported as lost in HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate within the last 12 months. All six were reported as lost rather than stolen.
	No security passes were reported as either stolen or lost by my own department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, over that period.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Learning Grant

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of people in the Brentford and Isleworth constituency who will benefit from the pilot of the Adult Learning Grant.

Ivan Lewis: The Adult Learning Grant is being piloted in one further education college in Brentwood and Isleworth. We estimate that about 20 adults studying full-time at this college for First Level 2 or First Level 3 qualifications will benefit from the grant this academic year.

Basic Skills

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information his Department collects on the level of basic skills.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) collates adult basic skills data at several levels. First through evaluation, research and economic analysis; second through a continuous programme of research led by the National Research and Development Council (NRDC); third through our marketing and communication strategy; and finally through the collection of factual data and information on all learners participating in programmes.
	"The Skills for Life Survey: A National Needs and Impact Survey of Literacy, Numeracy and ICT skills" (DfES, October 2003) provides an up-to-date assessment of the level of basic skills need against the National Standards for literacy, numeracy and ICT among adults aged 16 to 65 in England. A copy of this survey has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	The National Research and Development Centre lead a continuous programme of research to ensure that implementation and future development are based firmly on evidence.
	The Learning and Skills Council, Jobcentre Plus, the Prison Service and other key partners report regularly on delivery, learner participation and delivery. They provide an invaluable source of information on the people taking part and the direct impact the strategy is having.
	The DfES also collects regular information on the number of basic skills qualifications that are achieved and count towards the Skills for Life PSA targets. We are confident that we have achieved the July 2003 target of 470,000 learner achievements.

Behaviour Improvement Programmes

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 8 January (145433), if he will list the 60 Behaviour Improvement Programme local education authorities and the precise sum each will receive in the current financial year.

Ivan Lewis: The following table provides the information required.
	
		Local education authorities—2003–04
		
			  Total amount (£) 
		
		
			 Phase 1  
			 Bradford 1,442,000 
			 Brent 1,442,000 
			 Camden 1,442,000 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,442,000 
			 Lewisham 1,442,000 
			 Sheffield 1,442,000 
			 Islington 1,442,000 
			 Waltham Forest 1,442,000 
			 Rochdale 1,442,000 
			 Birmingham 1,442,000 
			 Salford 1,442,000 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,400,335 
			 Oldham 1,442,000 
			 Wolverhampton 1,442,000 
			 Manchester 1,442,000 
			 Hackney 1,400,335 
			 Knowsley 1,442,000 
			 Greenwich 1,400,335 
			 Enfield 1,442,000 
			 Lambeth 1,400,335 
			 Nottingham 1,400,335 
			 Southwark 1,442,000 
			 Newham 1,442,000 
			 Haringey 1,442,000 
			 Bristol 1,400,335 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,400,335 
			 Leeds 1,442,000 
			 Westminster 1,442,000 
			 Bolton 1,442,000 
			 Liverpool 1,442,000 
			 Hounslow 1,400,335 
			 Reading 1,442,000 
			 Slough 1,442,000 
			 K&C 1,400,335 
			   
			 Phase 2   
			 Barnsley 1,400,000 
			 Blackburn and Darwen 1,400,000 
			 Blackpool 1,400,000 
			 Doncaster 1,400,000 
			 Ealing 1,400,000 
			 Gateshead 1,400,000 
			 Halton 1,400,000 
			 Hartlepool 1,400,000 
			 Hull 1,400,000 
			 Leicester 1,400,000 
			 Luton 1,400,000 
			 Middlesbrough 1,400,000 
			 Newcastle 1,400,000 
			 North Tyneside 1,400,000 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1,400,000 
			 Rotherham 1,400,000 
			 Sandwell 1,400,000 
			 Sefton 1,400,000 
			 Solihull 1,400,000 
			 South Tyneside 1,400,000 
			 St. Helens 1,400,000 
			 Stockton 1,400,000 
			 Stoke 1,400,000 
			 Sunderland 1,400,000 
			 Wandsworth 1,400,000 
			 Wirral 1,400,000 
		
	
	The minor variations between Phase 1 LEAs reflect successful bids for additional measures.

Biodefence Research

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of whether universities satisfactorily ensure physical, personnel and information security in the performance of biodefence research; what assessment he has made of the case for moving such research from university laboratories to secure national laboratories; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.
	We do not comment on detailed security matters such as these but the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 provides controls on both physical and personnel security measures for premises holding dangerous substances.
	It has conferred new powers on the police under Part 7 and Schedule 5 and was implemented 31 May 2002. These include:
	Notification Process—"the occupier of any premises" where a Schedule 5 substance is "kept or used" is required to notify the Home Office.
	Confers powers on the police to inspect such premises and give directions on protective security advice.
	Confers powers on the police to seek information and obliges laboratories to provide information to them.

Bullying

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many incidents of bullying have taken place in schools in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in each of the last three years.

Ivan Lewis: Data on bullying are not collected centrally and there is no reliable basis for an estimate of prevalence. However, any level of bullying is too high and we are determined to help schools to tackle the problem. Our guidance pack "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence" and the anti-bullying website: www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying offer detailed advice on preventing and addressing bullying. I have also recently launched our anti-bullying Charter, which I hope schools will sign and use. It is accompanied by a summary of effective practice to help schools review and enhance their anti-bullying policies. We are also currently running a series of England-wide regional anti-bullying conferences for schools and other partners to share good practice.

Bullying

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what research his Department has commissioned on bullying in schools;
	(2)  what data his Department collates on bullying in schools.

Ivan Lewis: In March 2003 I launched a DfES-funded report summarising recent research on children and young people's views on bullying. This is available on the Department's website at www.dfes.gov.uk/research. Rather than collecting data from schools, which would add to their workload, we are concentrating on helping schools to reduce bullying. Disseminating good practice is crucial to this. So we have made our anti-bullying guidance pack "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence" and the anti-bullying Charter which I launched in November available to every school in England. And we are currently running a series of England-wide regional conferences for schools and other partners to share good practice. This is in addition to staff training materials on bullying which we are making available to all secondary schools through our Key Stage 3 strategy.

Career Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the place of career guidance within the provision by the Connexions Service.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2004
	Career guidance is a key part of the work of Connexions. All 13–19 year olds in England have access to support on making learning and career choices from Connexions. The level of support each individual receives is differentiated according to need. Support is provided in a range of ways, including through: one to one and group sessions with a Connexions Personal Adviser; Connexions Direct—a telephone helpline, e-mail and web-chat facility, open from 8am to 2am, 365 days a year; and the careers information materials available in Connexions Resource centres in schools, colleges and Connexions one-stop shops.

Career Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his policy to ensure that (a) access to and (b) provision of careers guidance and advice is equal between young people (i) in education and (ii) not in employment and training.

Margaret Hodge: All young people can access Connexions services on an equal basis through their schools and colleges, one-stop shops and Connexions Direct. Provision of careers advice and guidance —as with all the services provided by Connexions—is differentiated according to need. This applies to all young people, irrespective of whether or not they are currently in education, employment or training.

Career Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what qualifications are required of Connexions personal advisers who are expected to provide careers guidance and advice.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2004
	The Secretary of State recognises three specific qualifications for Connexions Personal Advisers who give in depth career guidance to young people in the statutory client group; these are the Qualification in Careers Guidance (QCG), NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance (including specified units) and the Diploma in Careers Guidance (DCG). DfES provides funding to support the initial training of careers guidance professionals to help encourage people from a wide range of backgrounds to move into the role of specialist career guidance practitioner.

Children Bill

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions have been held with local government representatives about the forthcoming Children Bill.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2004
	I have worked closely with the Inter Agency Group, which brings together local government, health and voluntary sector representative bodies, to ensure that we understand their views fully in developing the Children Bill, as well as the other work the Government are taking forward following the publication of "Every Child Matters". Officials have also regularly met representatives of local government to discuss policy development. Our work has also been informed by the extensive consultation we undertook on "Every Child Matters". All areas of local government were fully represented at the nine regional consultation events and we are pleased to have received a huge response to the written consultation, including many submissions from local government representative groups and local authorities. I have also met individual local authority representatives in a number of meetings and on a range of visits.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Connexions Service clients there were in each year since its establishment, broken down (a) by Connexions service area and (b) by (i) young people not in education, employment or training and (ii) others.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2004
	The following tables show the number of Connexions Service clients (young people aged 13 to 19 known to Connexions) for the period 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04.
	Table 1 shows those clients known not to be in education, employment and training, and other young people who have completed compulsory education.
	Table 2 shows the number of clients of compulsory education age for the operational years of 2002–3 and 2003–4. This information was not collected in 2001–2.
	
		Table 1: Number of clients/young people who have completed compulsory Education known to connexions
		
			  Not in Education, Employment or Training Other Total 
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 ENGLAND 44,740 142.328 122,742 506,313 1,521,504 1,939,517 551,053 1,663,832 2,062,259 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton  2,333 1,605  24,425 24,393  26,758 25,998 
			 Berkshire  1,884 1,780  29,792 30,660  31,676 32,440 
			 Birmingham and Solihull  3,672 4,000  53,283 50,775  56,955 54,775 
			 Black Country 6,337 6,914 4,489 39,085 44,611 47,387 45,422 51,525 51,876 
			 Bournemouth Dorset and Poole  2,019 1,022  24,862 26,123  26,881 27,145 
			 Cambs and Peterborough  2,423 1,851  25,784 26,190  28,206 28,041 
			 Central London  5,998 3,733  37,757 41,588  43,754 45,321 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 2,694 2,978 2,196 33,726 37,064 37,318 36,420 40,042 39,514 
			 Cornwall and Devon 3,522 3,798 2,921 60,277 60,757 61,690 63,799 64,555 64,611 
			 County Durham  2,774 2,053  15,652 16,860  18,426 18,913 
			 Coventry and Warwick 2,688 2,854 2,253 26,052 32,540 32,880 28,740 35,394 35,133 
			 Cumbria 1,935 1,789 1,199 18,498 19,678 19,867 20,433 21,467 21,066 
			 Derbyshire  4,407 2,784  38,195 37,371  42,602 40,155 
			 East London  8,281 6,973  82,871 87,465  91,152 94,438 
			 Essex Southend and Thurrock  5,449 2,816  65,974 65,928  71,422 68,744 
			 Gloucestershire  852 856  16,716 23,687  17,569 24,543 
			 Greater Manchester  11,073 7,961  109,572 110,988  120,646 118,949 
			 Greater Merseyside 8,918 8,431 6,659 62,252 61,931 65,154 71,170 70,362 71,813 
			 Hereford and Worcester  1,684 1,218  26,626 26,966  28,311 28,183 
			 Hertfordshire  1,835 1,521  43,967 38,799  45,801 40,320 
			 Humber 3,486 3,982 4,049 36,635 33,156 35,457 40,121 37,139 39,506 
			 Kent  3,788 4,014  76,761 66,520  80,548 70,534 
			 Lancashire  5,769 4,315  57,385 57,348  63,155 61,663 
			 Leicestershire  3,755 1,753  37,541 36,461  41,295 38,214 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 1,167 1,487 1,332 23,540 27,110 27,033 24,707 28,597 28,366 
			 Milton Keynes Ox and Bucks 1,625 2,820 2,590 48,647 50,046 50,184 50,272 52,867 52,774 
			 Norfolk  1,523 920  27,222 26,694  28,745 27,614 
			 North London 2,971 4,071 2,317 35,750 40,711 43,659 38,721 44,782 45,976 
			 Northamptonshire  1,489 1,725  24,325 22,925  25,814 24,649 
			 Northumberland   654   12,053   12,707 
			 Nottinghamshire  2,951 1,937  40,886 43,823  43,837 45,760 
			 Shropshire Telford and Wrekin 1,122 1,086 736 18,169 17,946 18,112 19,291 19,031 18,849 
			 Somerset  837 463  16,477 17,758  17,314 18,221 
			 South Central  3,065 2,883  83,429 71,470  86,494 74,352 
			 South London 4,498 4,282 2,107 47,023 47,418 49,040 51,521 51,700 51,147 
			 South Yorkshire 5,604 6,661 4,061 46,399 48,121 50,781 52,003 54,783 54,841 
			 Staffordshire  5,551 3,538  41,258 42,724  46,809 46,262 
			 Suffolk 2,204 2,754 1,332 30,508 27,866 25,591 32,712 30,620 26,924 
			 Surrey  1,010 1,254  44,580 37,174  45,591 38,428 
			 Sussex  3,087 1,608  60,234 54,453  63,321 56,061 
			 Tees Valley  4,305 2,374  29,573 29,710  33,879 32,084 
			 Tyne and Wear  8,385 4,481  41,462 43,943  49,847 48,423 
			 West London  5,347 3,232  50,608 49,118  55,954 52,350 
			 West of England 2,057 2,447 2,251 33,667 30,921 35,957 35,724 33,367 38,208 
			 West Yorkshire  9,357 6,154  86,292 86,413  95,649 92,567 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon  1,284 937  21,647 23,256  22,931 24,192 
			 York and North Yorkshire  2,310 917  32,497 30,155  34,807 31,072 
		
	
	Notes
	1. The information compiled represents averages of monthly data provided by Connexions Partnerships from their own management information and tracking systems.
	2. The first 15 Connexions Partnerships commenced in April and September 2001. The second and third phases of Connexions Partnerships started from April 2002.
	
		Table 2: Number of clients/young people of compulsory education age known to connexionsNote: This data was not collected in 2001
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 ENGLAND 1,590,390 2,075,363 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 26,123 26,911 
			 Berkshire 26,241 28,576 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 62,480 62,255 
			 Black Country 54,111 53,216 
			 Bournemouth Dorset and Poole 24,894 26,113 
			 Cambs and Peterborough 32,435 36,771 
			 Central London 25,483 34,764 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 42,575 40,953 
			 Cornwall and Devon 61,797 63,356 
			 County Durham 24,065 24,982 
			 Coventry and Warwick 35,752 38,878 
			 Cumbria 25,139 22,668 
			 Derbyshire 32,739 41,328 
			 East London 87,214 90,610 
			 Essex Southend and Thurrock 80,224 81,980 
			 Gloucestershire 24,131 24,426 
			 Greater Manchester 132,465 128,915 
			 Greater Merseyside 70,652 54,292 
			 Hereford and Worcester 33,774 34,309 
			 Hertfordshire 38,005 39,812 
			 Humber 40,781 46,996 
			 Kent 49,959 62,486 
			 Lancashire 56,010 72,163 
			 Leicestershire 34,106 40,584 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 26,179 27,985 
			 Milton Keynes Ox and Bucks 51,109 57,699 
			 Norfolk 37,171 36,928 
			 North London 30,237 40,399 
			 Northamptonshire 29,769 26,853 
			 Northumberland(33)  11,722 
			 Nottinghamshire 48,028 45,433 
			 Shropshire Telford and Wrekin 13,756 12,959 
			 Somerset 16,794 15,653 
			 South Central 59,204 55,012 
			 South London 42,835 39,762 
			 South Yorkshire 62,325 64,015 
			 Staffordshire 43,324 35,941 
			 Suffolk 31,995 32,387 
			 Surrey 22,015 30,913 
			 Sussex 41,237 52,233 
			 Tees Valley 40,033 36,911 
			 Tyne and Wear 49,471 45,569 
			 West London 38,436 42,161 
			 West of England 34,266 36,953 
			 West Yorkshire 101,715 105,622 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 21,278 22,955 
			 York and North Yorkshire 30,284 29,490 
		
	
	(33) Northumberland Connexions Partnership commenced in April 2003.
	Notes
	The information complied represents averages of monthly data provided by Connexions partnerships from their own management information and tracking systems.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is the policy of the Connexions Service to give special attention to young people not in education, employment or training.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2004
	It is the policy of the Connexions Service to reduce the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training. It does so through preventive work with young people who are in education employment and training and targeted, individual work with those who are not.

E-registration

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the procedures are for monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of the funding by the Department of schools' e-registration systems.

Ivan Lewis: Before schools can be awarded Capital Modernisation funding for electronic registration they must submit plans to the Department showing how they would spend it. Departmental officials only authorise local education authorities to release funding to a school when they are satisfied that its plans comply with stringent conditions set by the project. Local education authorities are then expected to work with schools to ensure the efficiency of systems installed.
	We have also commissioned the University of Warwick to conduct an independent evaluation of the project. A summary of interim findings is available on the school attendance website, http://www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolattendance/. A final report is expected in February 2006.

Gap Years

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from (a) schools, (b) parents and (c) pupils about the intentions of year 12 or lower 6th students expecting to complete A-levels in summer 2005 and considering whether to take a gap year in 2005–06.

Ivan Lewis: At December 2003 the Department for Education and Skills had received the following representations about young people's gap year intentions for 2005/06: nine from schools, three from parents and three from pupils.

Gap Years

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he intends to have with charitable organisations in respect of the impact of his proposals for higher education funding on gap year activities in 2005–06.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 19 January 2003
	There are no plans for discussions with charitable organisations on the impact of the proposals for higher education funding on gap year activities in 2005–06.
	The Higher Education White Paper "The Future of Higher Education" was published on 22 January 2003 and there was an extensive consultation exercise associated with it.
	In addition, the impact of higher education funding on gap year intentions is a matter regularly discussed by officials and Gap Year Providers and representative groups at meetings of DfES' informal Gap Year Consultation Group.

School Exclusions (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) short-term, (b) long-term and (c) permanent (i) high schools and (ii) primary schools exclusions there were in Lancashire in each of the last three years.

Ivan Lewis: Information on non-permanent (fixed term) exclusions is not yet available centrally.
	The Department has recently started to collect information from local education authorities on both fixed term and permanent exclusions on a termly basis. The first term's data are not yet available.
	The information requested on the numbers of permanent exclusions is given in the table.
	
		Lancashire LEA maintained primary and secondary schools: number of permanent exclusions, 1999/2000 to 2001/02
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01(34) 2001–02(34) 
			  Number Percentage of school population(35) Number Percentage of school population(35) Number Percentage of school population(35) 
		
		
			 Primary(36) 19 0.02 34 0.03 39 0.04 
			 Secondary(36) 144 0.19 207 0.28 240 0.32 
			 Total 167 0.09 250 0.14 299 0.17 
		
	
	(34) The 2000/01 and 2001/02 figures shown in the table are based upon the Annual Schools census returns together with LEA level amendments reported by LEAs as part of the data checking process.
	(35) Number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of school population.
	(36) Includes middle schools as deemed.

School Exclusions (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupil exclusions took place in each of the last three years in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley.

Ivan Lewis: The information available for the three most recent years is shown in the table:
	
		Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools: number of permanent exclusions, 1999/2000 to 2001/02
		
			  1999/2000 2000/01(37) 2001/02(37) 
			  Number Percentage(38) Number Percentage(38) Number Percentage(38) 
		
		
			 Lancashire LEA 
			 Primary(39) 19 0.02 34 0.03 39 0.04 
			 Secondary(39) 144 0.19 207 0.28 240 0.32 
			 Special(40) 4 0.17 9 0.39 20 0.88 
			 Total 167 0.09 250 0.14 299 0.17 
		
	
	
		
			  1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 
			  Number Percentage(38) Number Percentage(38) Number Percentage(38) 
		
		
			  Chorley constituency 
			 Primary(39) 1 0.01 0 0.00 7 0.08 
			 Secondary(39) 8 0.11 13 0.18 17 0.23 
			 Special(40) 0 0.00 1 0.51 2 0.01 
			 Total 9 0.05 14 0.08 26 0.16 
		
	
	(37) The 2000/01 and 2001/02 figures shown in the table are based upon the Annual Schools census returns together with LEA level amendments reported by LEAs as part of the data checking process.
	(38) Number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of school population.
	(39) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(40) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census.

Individual Learning Accounts

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps have been taken to introduce a replacement scheme for individual learning accounts; when the replacement scheme will commence; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: In July 2003, we published the White Paper "21st Century Skills, Realising Our Potential" which sets out how we will meet the skills challenge. The reforms in that strategy provide the essential elements we previously sought to develop through Individual Learning Accounts (ILA). As the White Paper says at paragraph 4.31, we have decided not to introduce another stand-alone ILA scheme, separate from the mainstream support for adult learning.
	The White Paper goes on to say:
	"4.32 Instead, we have integrated those ILA elements that proved successful within the broader strategy, particularly through our proposals for a new entitlement to free learning at level 2 for those with few or no qualifications; improvements in learner support; broadening the range of training providers, so that we can bring within the scope of public funding those privateproviders who have something distinctive to offer and can meet the necessary quality standards; strengthening the range of first step and return to learn opportunities; improving information, advice and guidance for adults; and developing a Unique Learner Number."

Microsoft Licences

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new licences for Microsoft products were purchased by schools in (a) 1999, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and what the cost was in each year of these purchases.

Charles Clarke: Information on the number of, and cost of, new licences for Microsoft products purchased by schools in 1999, 2001 and 2002 is not available because of the devolved nature of the purchasing of Microsoft products under IMS arrangements.
	Information has been made available to Becta by Microsoft in respect of Microsoft's licensing sales to schools during the 2002/03 Microsoft financial year. This information is the subject of legally binding non-disclosure arrangements.

Microsoft Licences

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether, under the terms of the memorandum between Microsoft and the British Educational Communications and Training Agency, schools will continue to get licences at 20 per cent. to 37 per cent. discounts if the total aggregate number of Microsoft licences held by schools in the United Kingdom falls.

Charles Clarke: The discount levels in the memorandum between Microsoft and the British Educational Communications and Training Agency are based on thresholds derived from the estimated number of licenses purchased annually by schools in England rather than on the total number of licenses held. The discount levels are calculated annually in arrears and therefore the discount levels which apply in Year 1 of the agreement relate to purchases already made, are at the maximum level, and are therefore absolutely guaranteed. The discount applicable in Year 2 will relate to the number of licenses actually purchased in Year 1. The discount in Year 3 relates to the actual purchases in Year 2.
	The number of licences across the UK required to qualify for the maximum discount in Year 2 and Year 3 are also based on the same numerical threshold as Year 1. Therefore, no growth in the number of Microsoft licences purchased annually by schools is required to achieve the maximum discount levels.
	As Becta has a UK wide remit, it has ensured that licence volumes from the Devolved Administrations, although not taken into account in deriving the threshold, can be taken into account in meeting it, thus providing a cost advantage to schools in the Devolved Administrations, and the increased possibility that schools in England will benefit from the highest discount levels.
	In the event that the number of licenses purchased by schools across the UK does not fall below 96 per cent. of the number of licenses purchased by schools in England in the year prior to the introduction of the MOU, the maximum level of discount will continue to apply. If the total number of licences sold to schools in the UK in any year of the agreement (the annual sales) falls below 96 per cent. of the number of licences purchased in the year immediately preceding the agreement by schools in England (the base year), the 20 per cent. minimum discount will be reduced as follows:
	if the annual sales fell to 75 per cent. of the base year sales, the minimum discount of 20 per cent. would be reduced to 75 per cent. of its previous value i.e. it would fall from 20 per cent. to 15 per cent; and
	if the annual sales fell to 50 per cent. of the base year sales, the minimum discount would be reduced to 50 per cent. of its previous value i.e. it would drop from 20 per cent. to 10 per cent.
	These two 'pro rata' minimum discount points at 15 per cent. and 10 per cent. were introduced to minimise the impact of any reductions in the purchasing by schools of Microsoft products.

Microsoft Licences

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many licences for Microsoft products are held by state schools; and what the total cost of such licences to the schools is.

Charles Clarke: Microsoft has been supplying licences to schools for more than 20 years. Data on the number of licences held by state schools or their total cost are not available because of the devolved nature of purchasing under LMS arrangements.

Microsoft Licences

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of new licences purchased in each of the last five years by schools are OEM type licences that come outside the agreement between the British Educational Communications and Training Agency and Microsoft.

Charles Clarke: Information on the percentage of new licences purchased in each of the last five years by schools that are Original Equipment (OEM) type licences, is not available because of devolved nature of the purchasing of Microsoft products under Local Management of Schools arrangements.
	Microsoft has made information available to Becta in respect of Microsoft's (non-OEM) licensing sales to schools during the 2002–03 Microsoft financial year. This information is the subject of legally binding non-disclosure arrangements.
	The Department's ICT in Schools survey provides information which can be used to estimate the year on year growth in the number of computers in schools. It is anticipated that the vast majority of these additional machines will require an OEM licence in respect of Microsoft Windows.

Microsoft Licences

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the savings on software licences following the recent agreement between the British Educational Communications and Training Agency and Microsoft; and what percentage of school expenditure on Microsoft licences this represents in each of the next three years for schools.

Charles Clarke: Through aggregating demand for Microsoft Licensing, Becta has been able to identify estimated savings over the next three years of up to £46 million for schools in England. These potential savings apply to all schools in the maintained and independent sectors. Additional savings will accrue to schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Compared to April 2003 pricing, the reduction/savings in schools' spending attributable to this deal will be between 20 per cent. and 37 per cent. depending on the actual products purchased.
	The estimate of savings for each of the next three years is:
	Year 1—£13 million;
	Year 2—£15 million; and
	Year 3—£18 million.
	Taking account of the likely mix of products purchased and the licensing programmes used, the overall percentage reduction in school spend on Microsoft licensing compared with spending levels as at April 2003 is estimated to be between 30 per cent. to 33 per cent.
	The calculation of these savings was made possible as a result of information made available to Becta by Microsoft in respect of Microsoft's most recent financial year and under legally binding non-disclosure arrangements. Procedures to monitor the actual level of savings achieved have been agreed by Becta and Microsoft.

Modern Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people under 22 are enrolled in or started modern apprenticeships in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04.

Ivan Lewis: In the academic year 2002/03, there were 146,000 starts on modern apprenticeships by learners aged under 22, and at the end of this year, there were a total of 194,100 learners aged under 22 on modern apprenticeships. Figures for 2003/04 are not yet available. Figures for numbers of starts and numbers in learning as at the end of October 2003 will be published by the Learning and Skills Council in March.

Modern Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the total population are qualified to apprentice in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany.

David Miliband: The percentage of the population qualified to apprentice in the UK is 13.6 per cent. Comparable figures from France and Germany are not available.

Modern Apprenticeships

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people were enrolled on apprenticeships in the United Kingdom in each year since 1995.

Ivan Lewis: The numbers of learners in England enrolled on government supported Advanced Modern Apprenticeship (AMA) and Foundation Modern Apprenticeship (FMA) programmes at the end of July in each year since 1995 are shown in the table.
	
		Thousand
		
			 Year AMA FMA Total MA(41) 
		
		
			 1995 2.1 n/a 2.1 
			 1996 25.1 n/a 25.1 
			 1997 87.5 n/a 87.5 
			 1998 109.6 8.8 118.4 
			 1999 123.8 41.4 165.2 
			 2000 127.3 77.7 205.0 
			 2001 115.0 87.0 202.0 
			 2002 102.7 106.1 208.8 
			 2003 99.5 119.1 218.5 
		
	
	(41) Totals may not equal sum of AMA and FMA due to rounding.
	Note:
	Comparable figures covering other types of apprenticeships are not available. The figures given cover England only. Modern apprenticeships in the other countries of the UK are a matter for the relevant devolved authorities.
	Source:
	1995 to 2000—TEC management information
	2001 to 2003—LSC Individualised Learner Record

Modern Languages

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans his Department have to train specialist primary modern language teachers.

David Miliband: In the current academic year, 406 people have been recruited to courses of initial teacher training for primary modern languages specialists provided by institutions in England. So far this year, there have been a further 34 recruits in primary modern languages to the Graduate Teacher Programme. In 2004–05, 580 college-based training places and 50 employment-based places will be available for primary modern languages.

School Exclusions

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many exclusions from English primary schools there were in the last three years;
	(2)  how many (a) short-term, (b) long- term and (c) permanent exclusions there were from English secondary schools for the last three years.

Ivan Lewis: Information on fixed term exclusions is not yet available centrally. The Department has recently started to collect information from local education authorities on both fixed term and permanent exclusions on a termly basis. The first term's data are not yet available.
	Information on the number of permanent exclusions in maintained primary and secondary schools is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools(42) number of permanent exclusions -- Academic years 1999/2000 to 2001/02 England
		
			  Maintained Primary  Maintained Secondary 
			  Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(44) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(44) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1999/2000 1,226 0.03 6,713 0.21 
			 2000/01(43) 1,436 0.03 7,305 0.23 
			 2001/02 1,451 0.03 7,741 0.24 
		
	
	(42) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(43) Permanent exclusions for 2000/01 are estimated as a number of local education authorities have not confirmed the data for their schools.
	(44) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils in primary and secondary schools.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

School Exclusions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were excluded from school in each local education authority in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The Information requested for permanent exclusions has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Information on fixed term exclusions is not yet available centrally. The Department has recently started to collect information from local education authorities on both fixed term and permanent exclusions on a termly basis. The first term's data are not yet available.

School Exclusions

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged (a) between four and 11, (b) between 12 and 16 and (c) between 16 and 18 have been excluded from school in each London borough in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 15 January 2004
	The available information, shown in the table, relates to permanent exclusions from 1995/96 onward.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools(45) and special schools(46): -- Number of permanent exclusions by age groupAcademic years 1995/96 to 2001/02London Local Education Authorities
		
			  1995/96 1996/97 
			  Pupils aged(47) 
			  4–11 12–15 16–18 4–11 12–15 16–18 
		
		
			 London 413 1,781 56 463 1,683 47 
			 Inner London 174 622 15 199 559 13 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Camden 11 39 1 20 49 2 
			 Hackney 14 23 1 15 26 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 15 47 2 23 49 0 
			 Haringey 8 39 2 5 42 2 
			 Islington 16 59 0 13 31 2 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 8 20 1 8 16 0 
			 Lambeth 14 52 0 13 48 2 
			 Lewisham 26 53 0 18 40 2 
			 Newham 10 33 0 9 31 0 
			 Southwark 22 66 1 26 67 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 10 44 0 12 51 1 
			 Wandsworth 11 86 6 27 64 0 
			 Westminster 9 61 1 10 45 2 
			
			 Outer London 239 1,159 41 264 1,124 34 
			 Barking and Dagenham 18 46 3 21 66 2 
			 Barnet 15 58 4 14 76 1 
			 Bexley 10 49 2 21 42 0 
			 Brent 12 101 1 13 80 6 
			 Bromley 19 84 8 15 80 4 
			 Croydon 20 98 1 30 108 0 
			 Ealing 20 69 7 17 71 3 
			 Enfield 8 81 3 7 87 8 
			 Greenwich 22 68 0 19 58 2 
			 Harrow 5 60 0 5 54 0 
			 Havering 10 61 1 14 42 0 
			 Hillingdon 12 55 4 13 55 0 
			 Hounslow 17 66 5 24 69 4 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 6 30 2 7 28 0 
			 Merton 7 42 0 5 16 1 
			 Redbridge 4 28 0 4 28 2 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 7 45 0 8 51 0 
			 Sutton 9 23 0 6 30 0 
			 Waltham Forest 18 95 0 21 83 1 
		
	
	
		
			  1997/98 1998/99 
			  Pupils aged(47) 
			  4–11 12–15 16–18 4–11 12–15 16–18 
		
		
			 London 422 1,553 52 348 1,402 32 
			 Inner London 201 539 16 144 487 8 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Camden 16 32 2 3 29 0 
			 Hackney 22 24 0 15 21 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 17 35 0 4 41 3 
			 Haringey 10 36 0 13 30 0 
			 Islington 14 33 0 11 24 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7 31 0 8 21 0 
			 Lambeth 17 45 0 13 27 0 
			 Lewisham 28 47 2 18 46 1 
			 Newham 15 38 1 15 39 0 
			 Southwark 27 69 0 21 87 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 6 43 0 2 30 0 
			 Wandsworth 15 61 0 17 58 1 
			 Westminster 7 45 11 4 34 2 
			 Outer London 221 1,014 36 204 915 24 
			 Barking and Dagenham 11 35 1 15 23 1 
			 Barnet 10 56 11 7 31 4 
			 Bexley 16 54 2 20 40 1 
			 Brent 11 80 6 9 68 0 
			 Bromley 16 76 1 13 73 1 
			 Croydon 29 79 0 25 106 0 
			 Ealing 26 54 2 10 63 1 
			 Enfield 16 66 5 8 61 7 
			 Greenwich 13 47 1 20 57 2 
			 Harrow 7 53 0 9 33 0 
			 Havering 7 63 0 7 34 0 
			 Hillingdon 5 53 0 10 56 0 
			 Hounslow 13 54 4 9 54 4 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 2 25 2 2 23 0 
			 Merton 7 29 0 5 19 0 
			 Redbridge 5 30 0 8 33 1 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 2 52 0 7 38 0 
			 Sutton 8 37 0 9 28 2 
			 Waltham Forest 17 71 1 11 75 0 
		
	
	
		
			  1999/2000 2000/01(48) 
			  Pupils aged(47) 
			  4–11 12–15 16–18 4–11 12–15 16–18 
		
		
			 London 251 1,021 17 298 1,145 5 
			 Inner London 127 385 4 121 417 1 
			 City of London 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Camden 7 15 0 11 23 0 
			 Hackney 9 22 0 11 23 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4 17 0 9 31 0 
			 Haringey 10 15 0 1 29 0 
			 Islington 4 15 1 1 18 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7 17 0 5 12 0 
			 Lambeth 12 19 0 13 28 0 
			 Lewisham 26 47 2 20 63 0 
			 Newham 10 23 0 10 26 0 
			 Southwark 10 58 1 19 44 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 29 0 6 40 0 
			 Wandsworth 20 74 0 11 54 1 
			 Westminster 5 34 0 4 25 0 
			
			 Outer London 124 636 13 177 729 4 
			 Barking and Dagenham 8 23 0 9 10 0 
			 Barnet 9 48 0 7 48 0 
			 Bexley 8 24 1 21 58 0 
			 Brent 12 45 0 12 37 0 
			 Bromley 4 21 3 10 50 1 
			 Croydon 13 74 0 28 89 1 
			 Ealing 3 22 2 5 28 0 
			 Enfield 9 64 0 14 58 0 
			 Greenwich 8 35 0 13 26 0 
			 Harrow 5 34 0 11 57 0 
			 Havering 2 32 0 4 28 0 
			 Hillingdon 5 40 2 15 50 0 
			 Hounslow 9 43 0 8 40 1 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 1 14 1 1 7 0 
			 Merton 6 17 0 3 29 0 
			 Redbridge 5 20 4 6 21 1 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 2 23 0 4 27 0 
			 Sutton 0 19 0 2 22 0 
			 Waltham Forest 15 38 0 6 43 0 
		
	
	
		
			  2001/02(47) 
			  Pupils aged(47) 
			  4–11 12–15 16–18 
		
		
			 London 291 1,154 11 
			 Inner London 115 372 2 
			 City of London 0 0 0 
			 Camden 5 23 0 
			 Hackney 15 18 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4 32 1 
			 Haringey 4 28 0 
			 Islington 2 10 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4 9 0 
			 Lambeth 11 27 0 
			 Lewisham 21 45 0 
			 Newham 13 37 0 
			 Southwark 13 37 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 36 0 
			 Wandsworth 18 45 1 
			 Westminster 3 24 0 
			 
			 Outer London 176 782 8 
			 Barking and Dagenham 10 14 0 
			 Barnet 4 49 1 
			 Bexley 11 49 0 
			 Brent 6 32 0 
			 Bromley 9 74 2 
			 Croydon 29 116 0 
			 Ealing 13 51 0 
			 Enfield 8 64 0 
			 Greenwich 23 28 0 
			 Harrow 6 62 0 
			 Havering 3 37 5 
			 Hillingdon 12 31 0 
			 Hounslow 15 44 0 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 2 2 0 
			 Merton 3 20 0 
			 Redbridge 7 25 0 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 6 25 0 
			 Sutton 5 30 0 
			 Waltham Forest 3 32 0 
		
	
	(45) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(46) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	(47) Age as at 31 August at start of reference year.
	(48) Estimates have been made for 2000/01 and 2001/02 because the exclusion data are known to be incomplete.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

School Exclusions

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what records the Government keeps on the causes for school exclusions; and whether it lists them by category.

Ivan Lewis: My Department started to collect data on the reasons for exclusions from summer term 2003. The first term's data are not yet available.

Pupil/Teacher Ratios

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the pupil/teacher ratio was for each local education authority for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

School Admissions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils entered primary and secondary schools in each local education authority for the most recent year for which information is available; how many appeals against admissions there were; and what proportion of appeals were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

David Miliband: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The latest available information has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

School Funding

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Office's strategy and delivery units on changes to the way funding may be allocated to schools; what work he has undertaken to review the basis of distributing funds directly to schools; and if he will place copies of the papers in the Library.

David Miliband: holding answer 12 January 2004
	On 29 October the Secretary of State announced the arrangements for school funding in 2004–05 and 2005–06. Every school is guaranteed a minimum increase in funding—4 per cent. in 2004–05—and every LEA will receive at least a 5 per cent. funding increase that year. We expect LEAs to pass on funding increases to schools. We will continue to provide some direct grants from the Government to schools, in particular the Standards Fund, and allow schools to spend these funds more flexibly to meet their needs. These measures are designed to deliver stability and certainty for schools; this is our priority.
	The Government continues to keep funding arrangements under review in consultation with other departments.

School Funding

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities have made representations to ministers in his Department about school funding since October 2003.

Charles Clarke: We have received a wide range of representations from local education authorities and I, my ministerial colleagues and my officials have had discussions with many authorities both individually and collectively. The position on school funding was set out to the House on 29 October.

School Funding

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills at what level Government funding per pupil will be in each of the next 10 years.

David Miliband: Funding per pupil is set to rise by £1,000 in real terms, from £2,810 in 1997 to £3,600 in 2003–04 to £3,850 in 2006.
	The level for 2006–07 and beyond will be determined by the outcome of future Spending Reviews.

School Trips

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 8 January, Official Report, column 473W, on school trips, if he will assess the average annual costs to schools of covering the costs for pupils whose parents are unable to contribute to the costs of school trips; and if he will reimburse such costs to schools whose pupil profile has an above average number of children from families in receipt of state benefit.

Charles Clarke: There are no plans to assess either the average annual costs to schools of covering the cost of school trips for parents unable to make a contribution, or for the Department to reimburse these costs.

School-leavers (Qualifications)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the total population left school without basic school leaving qualifications in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany.

Ivan Lewis: The exact information requested is not available. The proportion of the population in each country that had failed to achieve qualifications at the level defined by the OECD as "upper secondary" by the ages shown is, however, as follows:
	
		
			  Age Group 
			  25–64 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 
		
		
			 France 36 22 33 42 54 
			 Germany 17 15 14 17 24 
			 UK 37 32 35 39 45 
		
	
	Source:
	Education at a Glance, 2003, OECD (derived from Table A1.2, page 41)
	"Upper secondary" is defined in the UK context as attaining five GCSEs at grades A*-C or an equivalent vocational qualification (for example, a GNVQ at foundation or intermediate level).

Schools Voluntary Assistance Scheme

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made with his plans to encourage retired professionals to assist in schools on a voluntary basis; and what programmes are in place in the North East.

David Miliband: Working through some of our national partners and contractors, such as the NCSL, TTA and Capita, we have encouraged the increased use of retired professionals, including teachers, with our plans for remodelling the school workforce and promoting 'Keeping in Touch' and 'Return to Teach' programmes. It is however up to local authorities and schools to determine their local needs for voluntary support staff. The Department does not collect centrally information about any such local programmes.
	More specifically, for those teachers who retired on ill-health grounds from the Teachers' Pension Scheme, regulations came into effect on 1 January 2004 (The Education Health Standards England Regulations 2003) which will enable such former teachers to be re-employed, or work on a voluntary basis, in the education sector in a non-teaching capacity.

Departmental Circulars

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the circular documents that were sent by his Department to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools between (i) 1 September 2002 and 31 August 2003 and (ii) 1 January and 31 December 2003; how many were on teacher workload; and how many pages each document contained.

David Miliband: The following pages show the documents that were sent in the period 1 September 2002 and 31 August 2003 to (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools. In total 37 documents were sent to all primary schools and 41 documents were sent to all secondary schools. On teacher workload one document was sent to all primary schools and all secondary schools in the period 1 September 2002 and 31 August 2003. This document contained 32 pages.
	The following pages also show the documents that were sent in the period 1 September 2003 and 31 December 2003 to (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools. In total 14 documents were sent to all primary schools and 20 documents were sent to all secondary schools. On teacher workload two documents were sent to all primary schools and secondary schools in this period. The total number of pages contained in these documents were three.
	Where a document has been sent to all primary and all secondary schools it will appear in the totals for both primary and secondary above. Details of each document and how many pages each contained have been placed in the Library.

Departmental Circulars

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many circular e-mails were sent by his Department to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools between (i) 1 September 2002 and 31 August 2003 and (ii) 1 January and 31 December 2003.

David Miliband: During the period 1 September 2002 to 31 August 2003, three emails were sent to all primary schools and one to all secondary schools. During the period 1 September 2003 to 31 December 2003, five emails were sent to all primary schools and three to all secondary schools.

Skills Shortages

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the resources required to address skills shortages in former coalfield areas.

Ivan Lewis: This Department recognises the disparity between levels of necessary skills in particularly disadvantaged areas such as former coalfield areas and more affluent areas. It is addressing these issues through policies and targeted measures that focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning, tackling social exclusion and providing support to families and learners.
	"The Skills Strategy", published in July 2003, announced new resources for:
	creating a new entitlement to free learning for anyone without a good foundation of employability skills to get the training they need to achieve such a qualification (Level 2);
	providing targeted support for higher level skills at technician, higher craft or associate professional level. This support will be focused on those who are developing their skills and qualifications to Level 3, in priority areas to meet sectoral and regional skill needs. The support will be provided through the new regional skills partnerships, and planned and funded by the local Learning and Skills Councils;
	piloting the delivery of a new learning grant for adults in further education. This will be modelled on the existing education maintenance allowance for 16 to 19-year-olds. It will be aimed at adults studying full-time for their first full Level 2 qualification, and young adults studying full-time for their first full Level 3 qualification. One of the areas it is being piloted in, from September, is South Yorkshire;
	safeguarding the provision in each local area of a wide range of learning for adults, for culture, leisure, community and personal fulfilment purposes. While giving priority to better work-related skills training, each local Learning and Skills Council will have funds to work with others to support that range of learning, including learning for pensioners;
	providing better information, advice and guidance on skills, training and qualifications, so that people know what is available, what the benefits are, and where to go. To achieve this, we will combine the network of local advice partnerships with the national advice helpline provided by Ufi/learndirect; and
	Learning Communities to tackle low adult aspiration and skills and intergenerational deprivation by making a specific but strong connection between the development of a communities skills base and the contribution that it can make to meeting the regional skills needs and priorities expressed by the FRESA. The goal is not just social improvement, vital though this is. Learning Communities will add value by raising regional prosperity and productivity through raising skills because this, in itself, is a powerful way of addressing social disadvantage.
	This Department also recognises the importance of coordinating its policies effectively to make an impact in deprived areas and is working with the LSC, RDA, local authorities and Coalfields organisations such as the Coalfield Communities Campaign (CCC) to achieve effective targeting and cohesion.
	We work with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), both nationally and with each of its 47 local offices, to ensure that education, skills and employment policies all come together sensibly in communities. We have ensured that local LSCs have the flexibility to allocate their resources where they are most needed so that they can make maximum impact in disadvantaged communities, and can draw on funding from elsewhere e.g. European Social Funding (ESF).
	The nine Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) help ensure, for example, that their Regeneration and Skills Development Funds are targeted to impact on Neighbourhood Renewal areas and can set aside specific funds to address basic skills needs in their regions.

Sure Start

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Sure Start schemes are operating in England; and how many of these are community-led schemes.

Margaret Hodge: All 524 planned Sure Start local programmes are now operating, serving many of the most disadvantaged communities in England. All Sure Start programmes are 'community-led' through a partnership (made up of parents, community groups, and local representatives of voluntary and statutory organisations providing services to the families in the area) that designs the programme after consultation with families and workers in the area so that services reflect the needs of the community. These partnerships, in the main, have no legal status and are not incorporated bodies. One of the partner organisations must act as the 'accountable body' and take the legal responsibility for receiving the grant on behalf of the partnership. 86 programmes (16 per cent.) have non-statutory organisations as their accountable body, and of these, 16 (3 per cent.) are community groups or partnerships who have taken legal status for the purpose of running the programme.

Vocational Qualifications

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of GCSE-equivalent qualifications were vocational in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The percentage of pupils that achieved 5+ grades A*-C at GCSE/GNVQ with the help of vocational (GNVQ) qualifications since 1997 are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Academic year Percentage of pupils who achieved 5+ A*-C at GCSE/GNVQ with the help of vocational qualifications 
		
		
			 1996/97 0.2 
			 1997/98 0.4 
			 1998/99 0.6 
			 1999/2000 0.8 
			 2000/01 1.2 
			 2001/02 2.7 
			 2002/03 5.6

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reduce delays in processing council tax benefit claims.

Chris Pond: Local authorities generally process council tax benefit claims alongside claims for housing benefit. We have already put in place a comprehensive programme of reforms to the administration of both these benefits; our immediate priority is to reduce delays in processing times and we are making good progress.
	As part of the 2002 Spending Review, the Department invested £200 million over three years in a standards fund to help local authorities fund improvements in the service. The priority for the first year of funding was improvement in the speed and accuracy of claims processing and the prevention and recovery of overpayments.
	The need for pensioners to make renewal claims for council tax benefit was abolished in October 2003 and renewal claims for working age claimants will be abolished from April 2004. Previously claims for council tax benefit were made for a set period of up to 60 weeks.

Benefits

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to relax restrictions on council tax benefit eligibility for pensioners who have modest savings; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: With the introduction of pension credit on 6 October 2003, the upper capital limit of £16,000 has been abolished for those pensioners who receive the pension credit guarantee. The more generous income and savings rules in pension credit also apply to both housing benefit and council tax benefit. The rate at which money is deducted from benefit in respect of capital over £6,000 has also been halved, from £1 in every £250 to £1 in every £500. Around 1.9 million households stand to get more help, or help for the first time, with their council tax as a result of the introduction of pension credit.
	Additionally, we are abolishing the council tax benefit restriction from 1 April 2004; this currently restricts the maximum amount of council tax benefit for people living in properties in council tax bands F, G or H to the maximum amount payable for a band E property. Pensioners will, of course, be among those people who benefit from this change.

Benefits

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to give the pension service overall responsibility for raising the take-up of council tax benefit in partnership with organisations working directly with pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: Promoting the take-up of council tax benefit is the statutory duty of local authorities. However we are keen to ensure that all pensioners entitled to help with their council tax bills are claiming this. In particular, we want to ensure that the 1.9 million pensioners who gain, or gain more, council tax benefit on the introduction of pension credit get the extra help to which they are entitled.
	We are therefore actively pursuing ways of supporting local authorities in their duty to promote awareness of council tax benefit. Many authorities already have well developed take up strategies and we want to support these, and other authorities, to ensure that more pensioners on low income are receiving the help to which they are entitled.
	The pension service are inviting claims for council tax benefit when an application for pension credit is made, and we recently introduced a shortened claim form for pensioners applying for the benefit to make their claim easier. Everyone who calls the pension credit application line and wishes to apply for housing/council tax benefit is issued with a form.
	The local service is also working with partner organisations, including local authorities, to help reach the most vulnerable pensioners. During visits to pensioners in the local community or their homes advice on entitlement is provided and help offered to complete application forms.
	The Third Age Programme is also joining up existing service providers to offer a "whole person" service to pensioners. Joint teams (consisting of both local authority and pension service staff) are already up and running in nine local authority areas in the southwest and plan to roll these teams out nationally over the next two years.
	The Third Age Programme are also working with the voluntary sector to help reinforce messages about take-up and funding has been provided to support innovative pilots to increase the take-up of benefits including council tax benefit.

Benefits

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to what extent, and for what reason he has agreed to delegate decisions over the level of housing benefit or council tax benefit to the Scottish Executive.

Chris Pond: Although housing policy and local government finance are areas of devolved responsibility that interact closely with housing benefit and council tax benefit, responsibility for decisions over the level of housing benefit and council tax benefit remains with the UK Government at Westminster.

Benefits

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff responsible for detection of benefit fraud have been employed by his Department in each year since 1997, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The overall aim of the Department's anti-fraud strategy is to have a benefit system that is secure from first claim to final payment. The implementation of this strategy means than an anti-fraud focus is integral to the work of all staff in the Department, as is dealing with the wider agenda of error and incorrectness in benefit payments.
	The information currently available suggests that around 5,000 staff are employed nationally at any one time by the Department and its agencies in work to investigate suspicions of fraud.

Benefits

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to produce United Kingdom estimates of housing benefit fraud and error for 2002–03.

Chris Pond: For Great Britain, we published "Fraud and Error in Housing Benefit, April 2002 to March 2003" on 11 December 2003; a copy will be placed in the Library. Social security matters in Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Benefits

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been convicted of benefit fraud twice within three years since 1997; how many of these have had their benefit (a) reduced and (b) withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: Records of second convictions before 'Two Strikes' legislation came into effect on 1 April 2002 are not available. This provision cannot be applied retrospectively and applies only to people who have committed, and then been convicted of, two separate benefit offences after that date.
	To date, 23 people have been convicted of benefit fraud against the Department on two or more occasions. Sanctions have been applied to 11 of these cases, five of which have had their benefit reduced, and a further six have had their benefit withdrawn. A further 10 individuals are not currently in receipt of benefit. Additionally, a further two individuals are due to have their benefits withdrawn after the appeal period allowed has lapsed.

Benefits

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners were in receipt of (a) full and (b) partial council tax benefit in Huntingdon in each of the last three financial years.

Chris Pond: The information is not available. At August 2003, there were 3,700 people aged 60 or over receiving Council Tax Benefit in Huntingdonshire, of which 2,100 people were also in receipt of Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (income-based).
	Notes:
	1. Data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.
	3. Totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
	4. Information is available for August 2003 only.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit quarterly 100 per cent. count.

Benefits

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the uptake of council tax benefit in Wirral South.

Chris Pond: At August 2003, there were 33,900 people receiving council tax benefit (CTB) in the area covered by Wirral local authority.
	Estimates of CTB take-up in Wirral South are not available. Statistics on the take-up of income-related benefits are available on a national basis only, and are published in the DWP report entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-up"; copies of the publication series can be found in the Library.
	I announced a campaign to further support local authorities in their statutory duty to promote take-up of council tax benefit on 15 December 2003, Official Report, column 25WS.
	Notes:
	1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	2. The figure is rounded to the nearest hundred.
	3. Council tax benefit totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
	Source:
	Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count.

Care Direct

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the Care Direct pilots.

Malcolm Wicks: The six Care Direct pilots taking place in the south west will conclude at the end of March 2004. We are in the early stages of evaluating these pilots. This research is being done by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (University of Kent) and their report will inform a Lessons Learned document to be produced in April 2004.

Disability Living Allowance

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed disability living allowance for the financial years (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03, broken down by disability living allowance band.

Maria Eagle: People claim for disability living allowance as a whole rather than for any particular part of it. Figures for the total number of claims and the number of awards, broken down by particular components, are shown in the following table.
	
		Number of new disability living allowance claims and awardseach year -- Thousand
		
			  2002–03 2001–02 
		
		
			 Number of claims(49) 407.8 433.3 
			 All awards(50) 252.8 264.8 
			 Higher Rate Care and Higher Mobility 36.7 38.0 
			 Higher Rate Care Lower Rate Mobility 14.4 15.8 
			 Higher Rate Care only 11.9 12.4 
			 Middle Rate Care and Higher Rate Mobility 24.7 26.8 
			 Middle Rate Care and Lower Rate Mobility 26.8 28.9 
			 Middle Rate Care only 20.6 20.4 
			 Lower Rate Care and Higher Rate Mobility 29.9 29.1 
			 Lower Rate Care and Lower Rate Mobility 14.6 15.0 
			 Lower Rate Care only 34.5 37.6 
			 Higher Rate Mobility 29.1 31.0 
			 Lower Rate Mobility 9.6 9.8 
		
	
	Notes:
	The figures for the number of claims and the number of awards for each year are drawn from different sources and are not comparable.
	Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.
	A small number of people have more than one award in the year. These people are counted more than once as the table shows awards.
	Source:
	1. 100 per cent. MIS data. Figures are for financial years
	2. IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample. The figures are for the number of awards at May and are closest to the financial years.

Disability Living Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to reduce the complexity of the application process for disability living allowance.

Maria Eagle: The Disability and Carers Service acknowledges that the claiming process for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) needs to be simplified and has been running a number of initiatives designed to improve the service to customers.
	A shorter DLA postal claim form based around the revised Attendance Allowance (AA) claim form introduced nationally on 6 October 2003 is being tested. The new DLA postal form has 23 pages and is considerably shorter than the existing claim form. The results from the first three full months of testing are currently being collated and a revised claim form is expected to be produced later this year.
	Internet based claim forms for DLA and AA are also under development following the E claim form for Carers Allowance that was launched in December 2003. These should also be available later this year.
	Since November 2002, a new interactive claiming process has been trialled in Glasgow Disability Benefits Centre. Customers who request a claim form by telephone are directed to a customer claim advisor who asks some preliminary questions to establish the broad basis of the claim. A tailored claim form is then produced by the computer system that supports the process and forwarded to the customer for completion. The form generated is a maximum of 18 pages, considerably shorter than the existing 47 page form. The results of this trial and the clerical claim form tests will inform the further modernisation of the processing of Disability Benefits.

Incapacity Benefit Appeals

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many incapacity benefit appeal cases processed by the social security office in Dundee in the last year it has taken more than two months to reach a decision on whether to challenge appeal tribunal decisions; and what percentage of the total cases dealt with in that period this represents.

Maria Eagle: During 2003 there were three cases dealt with by Dundee incapacity benefit section that took more than two months to decide whether to challenge the appeal tribunal decision. This represents 0.45 per cent. of the total cases dealt with by the section in 2003.

Independent Living Fund

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to re-consider the upper limit on the Independent Living Fund; and what implications this has for clients in need of highly complex care packages.

Maria Eagle: Following the recommendations of the Quinquennial Review of the Independent Living Funds in December 2001 it was agreed that the upper limit should be reviewed by the trustees of the fund every two years. In April 2002 the limit was raised from £625 to £665 per week and the trustees are currently again reviewing the limit.
	Local authorities have primary responsibility for community care provision and the Independent Living Funds supplement that role. Irrespective of the amount of the upper limit of Independent Living Funds assistance, local authorities can fund care for disabled people with high cost support packages.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the dismissal of 350 temporary staff by Jobcentre Plus London Region in February and March, with particular reference to the number who were re-employed by Jobcentre Plus within 13 weeks of their dismissal on (a) temporary contracts and (b) permanent contracts; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for their dismissal.

Des Browne: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Andrew Dismore, dated 21 January 2004
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning re-employment of temporary staff within 13 weeks in London whose contracts of employment ended in February and March 2003. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
	Of the 350 staff on temporary contracts who left employment with Jobcentre Plus during February and March 2003, two people were re-employed within 13 weeks of the end of their temporary contract, one on a permanent contract and one on a new temporary contract.
	Jobcentre Plus employs temporary staff specifically to fill short-term needs. This may be for a variety of reasons, for example to help manage peaks of work or to facilitate the release of staff for training during the rollout of the integrated Jobcentre Plus service. Any temporary employees ending their employment in February/March 03 were released as their contracts had ended and the services/roles for which they were engaged had also finished.
	While there will be an on-going need to employ a small percentage of temporary staff for the reasons I have set out above, it remains the intention in London to reduce reliance on temporary employees and to recruit and maintain a stable permanent workforce.
	I hope this is helpful and clarifies matters.

Low-income Families

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the equivalent thresholds to the absolute low income threshold of £210 per week for a couple with one child under 16 published in Measuring Child Poverty, of December 2003 are for (a) a couple with two children, (b) a couple with three children, (c) a couple with four children, (d) a lone parent with two children, (e) a lone parent with three children and (f) a lone parent with four children.

Chris Pond: To measure whether the poorest families are seeing their incomes rise in real terms, we will monitor the number of children living in families with incomes below a particular threshold, which is adjusted for inflation. The level for a couple with one child under 14 published in Measuring Child Poverty is fixed as equal to our absolute low income threshold for the baseline year of 1998–99 expressed in today's prices.
	Equivalent information for different family types is in the table.
	
		
			 Number of children under 14 £ per week 
		
		
			 Lone parents  
			 1 153 
			 2 188 
			 3 223 
			 4 259 
			 Couples  
			 1 212 
			 2 247 
			 3 282 
			 4 317 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1.
	2. The £210 figure published in "Measuring child poverty" was rounded to the nearest £10. The amount for a couple with one child is presented here as £212, is rounded to the nearest £1 to allow clearer comparison to other family types.
	3. Figures were arrived at using the current prices (mid year 2003–04) cash equivalent for these family types of the 1998–99 60 per cent. median income level, before housing costs and using the OECD Modified equalisation scale.

New Deal

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people have gained sustained, unsubsidised employment on (a) their first time, (b) their second time and (c) their third or more time on the New Deal for Young People programme; what these figures represent as a proportion of the total number gaining sustained unsubsidised employment on the programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people have gained sustained unsubsidised employment on (a) their first time, (b) their second time and (c) their third or more time on the New Deal 25plus programme; what these figures represent as a proportion of the total number gaining sustained unsubsidised employment on the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The information is in the table.
	
		
			 Number of times on the People into sustained(49), unsubsidisedemployment 
			 programme Number Percentage 
		
		
			  New Deal for Young People 
			 Once 298,550 80.5 
			 Twice 60,450 16.3 
			 Three or more times 12,090 3.3 
			 New Deal 25 plus 
			 Once 87,110 81.6 
			 Twice 15,370 14.4 
			 Three or more times 4,340 4.1 
		
	
	Note:
	1. Employment is classed as sustained if no claim for Jobseeker's Allowance is made within 13 weeks.
	2. Figures are to the end of September 2003.
	3. Percentages do not sum to exactly 100 per cent due to rounding.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
	The New Deals have been successful in helping nearly one million people into work including more than 460,000 people thorough New Deal for Young People and nearly 165,000 people through New Deal 25 Plus.
	In a dynamic labour market, it is inevitable that some people will re-experience unemployment after leaving New Deal, however, the skills and experience they acquire after finding work through the programme will make it easier for them to find employment in the future.
	We have also introduced other measures to help people facing additional barriers to work, for example the StepUP pilots, which build on the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus by providing transitional jobs for those who have not secured sustained employment through New Deal.

New Deal

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have benefited from the New Deal in Chorley since 1998.

Des Browne: The New Deals have been successful in helping nearly 1 million people into work, including 1,410 people in the Chorley constituency. Information on numbers helped into work by each New Deal programme is in the table.
	
		
			 Programme(49) People gaining a job 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People 540 
			 New Deal 25 plus 180 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents 480 
			 New Deal 50 plus(50) 210 
		
	
	Note
	1. All figures are up to the end of September 2003 apart from New Deal 50 plus which is up to the end of March 2003.
	2. People in receipt of the New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit.
	3. Information on the other New Deals is not available broken down by constituency.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate

Occupational Pension Schemes

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implications of recent and proposed EU Directives on funding levels in occupational pension schemes for pension provision in the United Kingdom.

Malcolm Wicks: The impact of all Directives relevant to occupational pensions are assessed with regard to the impact on business including any costs they may impose, although additional costs may not directly impact on the funding of a scheme. Such assessments are set out in the Regulatory Impact Assessments that are published with the legislative measures which implement the requirements of these Directives.
	The Directive on the Activities and Supervision of Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provisions contains Articles which directly relate to funding and we have recently consulted on its implementation in the UK. We are currently considering those consultation responses but believe our proposed reforms of funding arrangements, as set out in 'Action on occupational pensions' (Cm5835) are broadly compatible with the requirements of the Directive.

Direct Payment

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in the Angus constituency have changed their method of receiving payment of their retirement pension from pension book to direct payment into bank account in each of the last six months.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. However, information available is supplied in the table. The table shows the breakdown of pensioners (women aged 60 and over, men aged 65 and over) in the Angus constituency that have changed their state pension method of payment from pension book to direct payment into a bank account in the last six months broken down into periods available.
	More pensioners in the Angus constituency are now paid directly into an account than by Order Book.
	
		Number of pensioners changing their state pension method of payment from pension book to direct payment into an account
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  
			  
			 14 June-26 July 2003 73 
			 26 July-6 September 2003 151 
			 6 September-25 October 2003 177 
			 25 October-29 November 2003 250 
			 Total 651 
		
	
	Note:
	An account includes bank, building society or Post Office card account
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre, Information & Analysis Directorate (100 per cent. sample).

Direct Payment

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in the Angus constituency received their retirement pension by means of (a) pension book and (b) direct payment into a bank account as at 1 January.

Chris Pond: The information is not available for the date requested.
	However, the table shows the breakdown of pensioners (women aged 60 and over, men aged 65 and over) in the Angus constituency that received their state pension by means of pension book and direct payment into a bank account, at 29 November 2003, which is most recent data available:
	More pensioners in the Angus constituency are now paid directly into an account than by order book.
	
		
			 Method of payment Number of pensioners 
		
		
			 Pension book 5,751 
			 Direct payment into an account 8,315 
			 Total 14,066 
		
	
	Note:
	An account includes bank, building society or Post Office card account
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre, Information & Analysis Directorate (100 per cent. sample).

Direct Payment

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to how many pension and benefit claimants his Department will write to invite them to move to direct payment.

Chris Pond: We are in the process of issuing approximately 14.25 million invitations for pension and benefit customers to move to direct payment. We are making good progress and have so far issued almost 60 per cent. of these invitations.
	Key figures on the progress of conversion to direct payment are available in the Library updated every four weeks.

Direct Payment

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) working age benefits, (b) disability and carers' benefit, (c) retirement pension, (d) child benefit and (e) war pensions claimants are paid by (i) direct payment into a bank or building society account, (ii) direct payment into a post office card account, (iii) order book and (iv) other methods.

Chris Pond: holding answer 6 January 2004
	The figures in the table have been compiled from data available on 29 November 2003.
	
		
			 Benefit Accounts paid by Direct Payment into a bank or building society account Accounts paid by Direct Payment into a Card Account at the Post Office Accounts paid by order book Accounts paid by other methods 
		
		
			 Working age benefits 
			 Jobseeker's allowance (JSA) 373,931 17,891 0 377,609 
			 Income support (IS) 648,895 39,515 1,454,416 37,222 
			 Incapacity benefit (IB) 583,742 15,931 674,821 11,743 
			 Severe disablement allowance (SDA) 43,045 1,035 70,296 5,432 
			 Industrial injuries (II) 152,837 9,073 277,035 0 
			 Widow's benefit (WB) 86,549 1,137 77,591 270 
			 Bereavement benefit (BB) 32,807 91 11,116 13 
			 Working age benefits total 1,921,806 84,673 2,565,276 432,289 
			 Disability and Carer Benefits Directorate 
			 Disability living allowance (DLA) 1,052,318 14,992 1,029,434 87 
			 Attendance allowance (AA) 356,014 1,780 169,633 107 
			 Carer's allowance (CA) 111,001 405 298,086 0 
			 Disability and carer benefits directorate total 1,519,333 17,177 1,497,153 194 
			 Pensioners 
			 State pension 5,048,649 68,665 4,025,027 45,527 
			 Pension credit 562,249 4,754 1,478,766 10,242 
			 Pensioners total 5,610,898 73,419 5,503,793 55,769 
			 Grand total 9,052,037 175,269 9,566,221 488,252 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures refer to a snapshot of live accounts in payment on the following dates:
	Income support—28 November 2003
	Jobseeker's allowance—28 November 2003
	Industrial injuries—21 November 2003
	Pensions (state pension, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, widow's benefit, bereavement benefit)—29 November 2003
	Attendance allowance—15 November 2003
	Disability living allowance—15 November 2003
	Carer's allowance—30 June 2003
	Pension credit—14 November 2003 (rated to end November)
	Carer's allowance—30 June 2003
	Pension credit—14 November 2003 (rated to end November)
	2. Please note this is payload and not caseload therefore if a claimant is receiving more than one benefit e.g. pension credit (PC) and state pension (SP) but only receives one combined payment through the PC system they will only be shown as having a pension credit account and not a SP account.
	3. Figures quoted are for GB only.
	4. The Post Office Card Account has only been available since 1 April 2003. The numbers of customers being paid into a Post Office card account are expected to increase in the coming months as 20 week order books begin to expire and customers begin to receive payment direct into their card accounts.
	5. Many bank and Building Society accounts allow access to cash at Post Offices, for benefits and pension customers who wish to collect their payment this way.
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre, Information & Analysis Directorate (100 per cent. sample).
	War pensions and child benefit accounts are not included in the reply because they are now the responsibility of Ministry of Defence and Inland Revenue respectively.

Direct Payment

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension and benefit claimants who were sent letters inviting them to move to direct payment have indicated that they cannot open or operate a bank account or Post Office card account; and what assessment his Department has made of the number of people who will use the exceptions service method of payment.

Chris Pond: Research has shown that 87 per cent. of all our customers and 90 per cent. of pensioners already have an account suitable for Direct Payment.
	Almost three and a half million customers have provided their bank account details, and around two million have requested a Post Office card account. However information on the number of customers replying that they could not specifically open or operate a bank or Post Office card account is not available in this format.
	We will be further contacting all customers who continue to be paid by order book. Any customers, who cannot open or operate a bank account before order books are no longer available in 2005, will be paid by another method. In the meantime they will continue to receive their payments by order book.
	We have always recognised that there will be a small number of people who we cannot pay directly into an account. Our plan is to design an exceptions method of payment to properly meet the needs of these customers. Detailed arrangements for this method of payment are not finalised yet, but it is likely that it will be a cheque-based solution. Payment outlets will include Post Office branches.
	The move to Direct Payment is progressing well. Key figures on the progress of conversion to Direct Payment are available in the Library updated every four weeks.

Direct Payment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice he is offering to local authority social services departments on direct payments with a view to encouraging each authority to adopt a clear strategy on take-up.

Chris Pond: We have discussed the move to direct payment widely with customer representative groups including Local Government Association representatives.
	The Department's primary objective continues to be to pay benefit and pensions direct into the chosen account of every customer who is able to manage their own affairs, or into a third party account nominated by the customer.
	Customers are supplied directly with information that clearly sets out their account options and enables them to decide which account is right for them.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls to the Pension Credit Helpline since April were completed with a successful claim of the Pension Credit.

Malcolm Wicks: Between 7 April and 31 December 2003 the Pension Credit application line received approximately 1.84 million calls. By 31 December approximately 590,000 application forms had been returned to Pension Centres since the start of the campaign and approximately 377,000 had already been successful. Not all applications for Pension Credit originate from a call to the application line. Customers can obtain paper application forms in a number of ways, for example by returning a tear-off slip or through one of the external organisations with whom we are working at local level.

Pension Credit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Buckingham constituency (a) have applied for, (b) are eligible for and (c) have received the pension credit in 2003.

Malcolm Wicks: At 31 December 2003 there were 1,666 pensioner households (2,007 individuals) in the Buckingham constituency receiving pension credit. Information on the number of people who have applied for or are eligible for pension credit is not available in respect of individual constituencies. However, we estimate that approximately 350,000 pensioner households in the South East region are eligible for pension credit.

Pensioners (Hemsworth)

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Hemsworth constituency receive benefits at the Post Office.

Chris Pond: The number of Pensioners in the Hemsworth constituency receiving at least one benefit which can be collected at the Post Office is 10,911. This information has been compiled from data available on 29 November 2003.
	War Pensions accounts are not included in this reply as they are now the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.

Poverty

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on poverty levels in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK in the last five years.

Chris Pond: Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of peoples' lives—including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of their environment and not just low income. The fifth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 5956) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the many different indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	The Scottish Executive also publish their own annual report on poverty and social exclusion. The latest of which, 'Social Justice . . . a Scotland where everyone matters' sets out their long term strategy for tackling poverty in Scotland.
	Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in 'Households Below Average Income 1994–95—2001–02'.
	All publications listed are available in the Library.

Social Fund

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications were made by lone parents to the Social Fund in England in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what proportion of those applications were successful.

Chris Pond: The available information is in the table.
	
		Number of decisions made on Social Fund applications from lone parents in England for December 2002 to November 2003
		
			 Application type Decisions Proportion of decisions which were successful (per cent.) 
		
		
			 Community Care Grant 117,900 43.7 
			 Budgeting Loan 572,100 79.8 
			 Crisis Loan 185,400 79.3 
			 Sure Start Maternity Grant 63,600 89.3 
			 Funeral Payment 4,200 Not available 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data are not available on the total number of applications made by lone parents.
	2. Data refer to initial decisions only and do not include review decisions or awards made after review.
	3. The numbers of decisions have been rounded to the nearest 100 and the proportions of decisions which were successful to the nearest 0.1 per cent.
	Source:
	Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Social Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional expenditure resulting from large scale voluntary transfers and the formation of arm's length management organisations for council housing has been incurred on housing benefit previously paid out of housing revenue accounts on a cumulative basis in each year since 1997.

Chris Pond: The information is not available. To determine such a figure would require detailed assumptions about the rents each authority might theoretically have charged had it retained the stock. However, the potential impact on housing benefit where stock is transferred to registered social landlords is considered as part of the overall value-for-money assessment of transfers.
	Stock managed by an arms length management organisation (ALMO) remains owned by the council and subject to national rent restructuring policy. The formation of an ALMO does not therefore affect rent levels or housing benefit entitlement.

Third Age Service

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the progress his Department have made in respect of the Third Age Service.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department for Work and Pensions is in the early stages of developing a Third Age Service which is seen as a network of service providers providing improved access to a range of more integrated services. In this respect, we are working with partners, in particular the Partnerships Against Poverty Group and the Third Age Working Group which DWP chair and which include representatives from Age Concern, Help the Aged, Better Government for Older people and other key stakeholders.
	We have already made progress in developing the main aspects of a third age service e.g. Joint Financial Assessment & Benefit Teams with local authorities. Experience and research evidence indicate that this is the right approach to integrated services. Already, nine joint teams are operational and plans are in place to roll out nationally over the next two years.
	This, together with the work we are doing to enable partner organisations to take benefit claims and verify evidence (on which guidance has been issued), and the work on the Partnership Fund (which will be published in spring this year) shows that we are already delivering on the Government's Manifesto commitment which was 'to build on Care Direct to provide integration of health, housing, benefits and social care for older people'. We await the Lessons Learned report on Care Direct pilots (April 2004) before developing further building blocks.

Winter Fuel Payment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend the winter fuel payment to severely disabled people under 60.

Malcolm Wicks: Help is already available through disability benefits and the disability premium in Income Support in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which disabled people may have. There are no plans to extend the winter fuel payment scheme to disabled people under age 60.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Building Regulations

Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information he has collated on the ways in which other EU governments intend to implement Article 7.3 of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 13 January 2004, Official Report, column 723W.

Building Regulations

Andrew Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to report on the review of Part M of the Building Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2692), which amend the non-domestic elements of Part M of the Building Regulations, were laid before Parliament on 27 October 2003 and come into force on 1 May 2004. The revised Approved Document M (2004 Edition), which gives guidance on the application of the amended Regulations, was published on 5 November 2004 and announced in a press release from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2003/0229).

Fire Services

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans there are to replace green goddesses with more up-to-date firefighting equipment.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering alternatives to the green goddess (reserve) fleet. Drawing down the lessons from recent experiences, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to have in place appropriate and effective emergency firefighting capabilities.

Fire Services

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the newly-appointed Chief Executive of Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh, will be in post.

Phil Hope: An open competition to appoint a new chief executive will be announced shortly. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to make a permanent appointment by early summer.

Government Office for London

Mark Field: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much Government money was distributed by the Government Office for London in each year since 1999–2000; and what is forecast to be distributed in 2003–04.

Yvette Cooper: Government Office for London (GOL) Programme expenditure is as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  Programme expenditure 
		
		
			 1999–2000 2,202 
			 2000–01 1,605 
			 2001–02 2,094 
			 2002–03 2,530 
			 2003–04 2,689

Government Office for London

Mark Field: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the running costs of the Government Office for London were in each year since 1999–2000; and what the forecast is for 2003–04.

Yvette Cooper: Government Office for London (GOL) running cost expenditure is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 16.0 
			 2000–01 13.2 
			 2001–02 13.2 
			 2002–03 14.1 
			 2003–04 16.6

Government Office for London

Mark Field: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff were employed by the Government Office for London in each year since 1999–2000; and how many are forecast to be employed in 2003–04.

Yvette Cooper: Approximate full time equivalent posts from April 2000 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 April 2000 370 
			 April 2001 240 
			 April 2002 260 
			 April 2003 288 
		
	
	The forecast for 2003–04 is 310.

Government Office for London

Mark Field: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the projects managed by the Government Office for London in 2003–04.

Yvette Cooper: Programmes managed by Government Office for London (GOL) in 2003–04:
	Community Chest
	Community Empowerment Fund
	Community Learning Chest
	Public Order and Community Cohesion
	Disabled Facilities Grant
	Estate Action
	Greater London Authority General Grant
	Greater London Authority Preparation Costs
	Housing Action Trusts
	Housing Investment Programme (HIP)
	Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
	Neighbourhood Renewal—Skills and Knowledge
	New Deal for Communities
	Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders
	Neighbourhood Wardens
	Street Wardens
	Street Crime Wardens
	European Regional Development Fund (Objective 2)
	Greater London Authority Transport Grant
	Sustainable Development Publicity Budget
	Community Champions
	Community Champions Pathfinders
	Connexions Grant Funding
	Connexions (Drugs Education)
	Positive Action for Young People
	Transforming Youth Work (Development Funding)
	Special Educational Needs/Disability Act
	Vocational and Work Related Learning
	Learning Partnership Networking
	London Development Agency Grants
	New and Renewable Sources of Energy
	European Structural Fund (ESF) Objective 2
	European Structural Fund (ESF) Objective 3
	Anti Social Behaviour Fund
	Basic Command Unit Fund
	Building Safer Communities Fund
	Communication Funding
	Gun Crime
	Home Office Directors' Allocation Fund
	Neighbourhood Renewal Capacity Building Fund
	Drugs Team Strategic Grant
	Recovered Assets Fund
	Time Limited Development Fund
	Small Retailers in Deprived Areas
	Vehicle Crime
	Violence Against Women

Housing (Yorkshire and Humberside)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the difference is between the housing capital allocation for local authorities in (a) Yorkshire and (b) Humberside for 2005–06 and 2004–05; what the basis is of the new allocations; what account they take of (i) the state of the stock, (ii) decent housing targets and (iii) repair backlogs; and how any money still to be allocated is to be made available.

Yvette Cooper: £76.110 million is being allocated to Yorkshire and the Humber local authorities for 2004–05 from the Single Regional Housing Pot, and £81.059 million for 2005–06. Resources for 2004–05 are fully allocated. £22.555 million remains to be allocated for 2005–06. Allocations made to date to authorities in (a) Yorkshire and (b) Humberside are as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Yorkshire 63.413 48.896 
			 Humberside 12.697 9.608 
		
	
	Allocations for both years comprise a formulaic element (fully allocated) plus the outcome of Regional Housing Board (RHB) commissioning of proposals for private sector renewal, low demand (in specified areas), and 'transformational proposals' (2005–06 only). Proposals for the remaining resources have been commissioned, and will be considered by the Board at meetings up to September 2004.
	Stock condition is an element in the indicator used for the formulaic element. Additionally, decent homes were taken into account through a Government Office survey of expenditure commitments.
	I will write to my hon. Friend with additional information.

Liveability Fund

Iain Coleman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the local authorities which have been successful in bidding for the Government's Liveability Fund; and what criteria were used to determine which authorities were successful.

Yvette Cooper: The 27 Liveability Fund pilots will be announced early next month.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's key selection criteria sought to secure a good regional balance (i.e. three pilots per region) and a cross-section of local authorities in terms of:
	urban, rural, suburban and coastal location; and
	levels of achievement in the Comprehensive Performance Assessments (where appropriate).
	It also sought to ensure a range of areas with very different levels of deprivation, but with a greater number of local authorities in deprived areas, reflecting the higher incidence of poor quality spaces there.

Registered Social Landlords

Stephen Byers: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many tenants of registered social landlords there are (a) in England, (b) in each housing authority area and (c) in each region.

Yvette Cooper: As at 31 March 2003:
	(a) The estimated number of RSL tenancies in England was 1,684,500.
	(b) The estimated number of tenancies by Government Office Region were as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Government Office Region Total occupied RSL stock 
		
		
			 North East 98,500 
			 North West 294,300 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 116,000 
			 East Midlands 94,900 
			 West Midlands 213,700 
			 East 154,300 
			 London 303,300 
			 South East 253,300 
			 South West 156,200 
			 England 1,684,500 
		
	
	Note:Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	Source:
	Primarily the Housing Corporation's Regulatory and Statistical Return for 2003 but with minor adjustments to reflect two late transfers of stock within the local authority areas of North Hertfordshire and Forest of Dean.
	(c) The numbers for local authorities (housing authority areas) are available in the Library of the House.

HEALTH

Operation Global Mercury

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what lessons have been learned from Operation Global Mercury; whether identified failings have been addressed; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The evaluation report and a summary are available on the Department of Health website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/exerciseglobalmercury/index.htm, and a copy has been placed in the Library.
	Work is underway to implement all of the recommendations identified in the report.

Ambulance Services

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will list the vacancy (a) rates and (b) numbers for NHS ambulance staff, broken down by grade, in (i) England and (ii) each ambulance service in each of the last six years;
	(2)  how many ambulance staff have been employed in the NHS in (a) England and (b) each ambulance service for each of the last six years, broken down by grade.

John Hutton: Information on the number and rate of vacancies lasting three months or more in each year since 1999, the first year the data was collected centrally, and the number of ambulance staff employed in the national health service since 1996 has been placed in the Library.

Cancelled Operations

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will publish the guidelines given to NHS trusts in reporting cancelled operations, with particular reference to guidelines on the use of stand-by lists of patients who may be operated on that day if capacity allows;
	(2)  what proportion of hours per week operating theatres were used on average in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each NHS trust, in the latest week for which figures are available;
	(3)  what research his Department has commissioned on links between ward bed availability and cancellation of scheduled operation lists.

John Hutton: Guidance on reporting last minute cancelled operations is made available to the national health service through the Department of Health NHS web. A copy has been placed in the Library. No national guidance exists on the use of stand-by lists. The operation of stand-by lists is a matter for individual NHS trusts in consultation with their commissioners.
	In addition, the Modernisation Agency's operating theatre and pre-operative assessment programme is supporting NHS trusts to implement good practice guidance on tackling cancelled operations and effective utilisation of operating theatres.
	The programme has published good practice such as the "Step Guide to Improving Operating Theatre Performance" published in June 2002 which sets out four key steps, or stages, to improving operating theatre performance and reducing cancelled operations. It contains diagnostic tools and common sense, practical solutions for trusts to increase theatre utilisation and improve patient care.
	Information on the usage of operating theatres is not collected centrally by the Department.
	As part of a larger project, the Department of Health commissioned York University to carry out some modelling of bed occupancy. Findings from the study were published in the BMJ: "Dynamics of bed use in accommodating emergency admissions: stochastic simulation model"—Adrian Bagust et at BMJ vol. 319, 17 July 1999, pages 155–158, a copy of which has also been placed in the Library.

Cancelled Operations

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the rules relating to the time of cancellation for acute hospital trusts to record operations as cancelled for non-clinical reasons.

John Hutton: The Department of Health collects data on the number of operations cancelled by the hospital for non-clinical reasons (i) at the last minute (that is, on the day patients are due to arrive, or after arrival in hospital, or on the day of their operation), and (ii) the number of patients not admitted within 28 days of a 'last minute' cancellation as part of the NHS Plan cancelled operations guarantee.
	The NHS Plan cancelled operations guarantee introduced in April 2002, states if a patient's operation is cancelled by the hospital on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, the hospital will have to offer another binding date within a maximum of the next 28 days, or fund the patient's treatment at the time and hospital of the patient's choice.

Care Homes

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of elderly patients in care and residential homes who are (a) malnourished and (b) assessed as being at risk of becoming malnourished;
	(2)  if he will introduce mandatory screening for malnutrition for people in care homes; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: According to the "National Diet and Nutrition Survey: people aged 65 years and over", published in 1998, 16 per cent. of men and 15 per cent. of women living in care homes were classified as underweight. The more recent Health Survey for England 2000 gave figures of 8 per cent. for men and 11 per cent. for women. In both cases, underweight was defined as a person with a body mass index of less than 20. We do not have figures estimating people at risk of becoming malnourished.
	We have no plans to introduce mandatory screening for malnutrition for people in care homes. A number of measures and strategies are in place to manage, monitor and screen people for under nutrition in care homes. Before going into a home every resident should have a detailed needs assessment. This includes nutrition and screening for malnutrition. The assessment should be revised at regular intervals. The home should draw up a care plan for each resident based on his or her needs assessment. The care plan should be reviewed at least once a month to monitor changes in the resident's needs.
	The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) regulates care homes in accordance with statutory regulations and national minimum standards to ensure they provide for the needs of their residents. The Care Homes Regulations require homes to provide adequate quantities of suitable, wholesome and nutritious food for service users; and to maintain records of the food provided for service users in sufficient detail to enable inspectors to determine whether the diet is satisfactory, in relation to nutrition and otherwise. Standard 19 of the national standards for care homes for older people sets out what care homes are expected to do to ensure residents are properly fed. This includes giving people assistance with eating where necessary. The NCSC will take swift action where it has concerns about the welfare of residents.

Dentistry

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the change in full-time equivalents in post in the dental workforce as a result of early retirement was in each year since 1990.

Rosie Winterton: The available information shown in the table from the NHS Pensions Agency is for the number of pensions awarded where a national health service pension has been claimed prior to the scheme's normal retirement age. These will include pensions paid on the grounds of ill health, premature retirements following redundancy and voluntary early retirement before age 60 (introduced from 6 March 1995). Since 1997, the number of dentists working in the NHS general dental service (GDS) in England has increased from 16,728 to 18,500, but dentists can vary the amount of dental work they do and the proportion carried out in the GDS.
	
		Early retirement of dentists
		
			  Total dentist pension awards 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1997 197 
			 1998 179 
			 1999 161 
			 2000 152 
			 2001 191 
			 2002 173 
			 2003 170

Departmental Staff

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS employees were expelled in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: This information is not held centrally.

Diagnostic and Treatment Centres

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which inspectorate 
	(1)  (a) has responsibility and (b) will have responsibility after 1 April for (i) registering and (ii) inspecting independent diagnostic and treatment centres;
	(2)  how clinical governance in independent diagnostic and treatment centres will be (a) inspected and (b) audited.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 January 2004
	Currently, the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) has responsibility, under the Care Standards Act 2000, for registering and inspecting independent treatment centres in England against the National Minimum Standards and Regulations issued by the Secretary of State in February 2002.
	The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) also has powers, under the NHS Reform and Healthcare Professions Act 2002, to inspect the clinical governance arrangements of treatment centres providing healthcare for national health service bodies.
	From 1 April 2004, responsibility for these functions will transfer from the NCSC and CHI to the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI, under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. CHAI will also publish an annual report to Parliament on the state of healthcare, which will include a section on what it has found as the registration authority of independent health care providers.

E-auction

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what further plans he has for the use of e-auction as a method of purchasing clinically prescribed equipment in the NHS [R];
	(2)  what plans he has to regulate the use of e-auction by NHS bodies.[R]

John Hutton: holding answer 19 January 2004
	E-auctions have been used extensively in the private sector and have resulted in significant savings.
	The national health service Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) is conducting pilot e-auctions to establish if they will provide best value for money for the NHS and in which areas they are most effective.
	Five e-auctions had been carried out up to the end of December 2003, which had resulted in savings to the NHS of £16 million pounds. PASA will fully evaluate the results of these pilot exercises from March 2004, and make recommendations on the future use of e-auctions in the NHS.

Hospital Beds (Lincolnshire)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in the number of beds available for NHS treatment in Pilgrim Hospital, Boston there has been in each year since 1995.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the average daily number of beds is collected annually from each national health service trust. Information is not collected for individual hospital sites.
	The number of available beds from 1995–96 to 1999–2000 for Pilgrim Health NHS Trust is shown in table 1. In April 2000, Pilgrim Health merged with two other NHS trusts to form United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Information on available beds for this trust is shown in table 2.
	
		Table 1: average daily number of available beds in wards open overnight, Pilgrim Health NHS Trust, 1995–96 to 1999–2000
		
			 Year Total beds Change from previous year 
		
		
			 1995–96 576 — 
			 1996–97 575 -1 
			 1997–98 587 12 
			 1998–99 564 -23 
			 1999–2000 586 22 
		
	
	Source
	Department of Health form KH03.
	
		Table 2: average daily number of available beds in wards open overnight. United Lincolnshire NHS Trust, 2000–01 to 2002–03
		
			 Year Total beds Change from previous year 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,560 — 
			 2001–02 1,575 15 
			 2002–03 1,556 -19 
		
	
	Source
	Department of Health form KH03.

IT Contracts

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of the computer contract signed between his Department and BT; what the contract covers; what time period is covered by the contract; whether this technology will be available to help the roll-out of broadband in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Two separate contracts have been awarded to BT under the national programme for information technology in the national health service in England:
	1. to set up and run a core database or "spine" for the national care record service (NCRS), worth a total of £620 million. This will provide access to key summary information on a patient and their condition/treatment for healthcare professionals who are authorised and have a need to use it; and
	2. to provide local systems and services to integrate, access and use the NCRS in London. This includes providing IT support at a local level, delivering essential infrastructure and connection/compatibility to existing systems in the NHS in the London cluster. This contract is worth a total of £996 million.
	Depending on the proof of solution, successful roll-out and ongoing performance, both contracts will run until 2013.
	The contracts do not cover the provision of new national networking services and broadband capacity for the NHS. This is the subject of a separate procurement exercise and is expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2004. The delivery of new systems across the NHS will be dependent upon network provision.

Kidderminster Diagnostic and Treatment Centre

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the delay in opening the Kidderminster diagnostic and treatment centre; and whether the contractors are subject to penalty payments.

Stephen Ladyman: The Kidderminster Treatment Centre has changed significantly from the project as it was originally envisaged. There has been extra investment in services and facilities, including an additional operating theatre.
	The contract was agreed on a fixed price basis, which has both protected the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals national health service trust from unexpected financial pressures, and removed the need to impose penalty payments on the contractors.

Nurses

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proportion of nurses per head of population was in (a) St. Helens, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in each year since 1992.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Qualified nursing staff and practice nurses employed by unrestricted principals and Equivalents (UPEs)(49) per 1,000 of the population—England -- Number (headcount)
		
			  1992(50),(52) 1993(50),(52) 1994 1995(51) 1996(51) 
		
		
			 England  
			 Population 47,996,067 48,100,501 48,222,889 48,364,999 48,496,224 
			 Practice nurses 16,635 17,517 16,500 18,243 17,898 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.35 0.36 0.34 0.38 0.37 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) 301,253 293,379 289,284 298,650 297,351 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.20 6.10 6.00 6.17 6.21 
			 of which:  
			 North West Government Office Region
			 Population 6,866,001 6,867,220 6,854,423 6,840,280 6,818,344 
			 Practice nurses 2,175 2,110 1,862 2,166 2,226 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.32 0.31 0.27 0.32 0.33 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) — — — — 46,895 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population — — — — 6.88 
			 of which:  
			 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA
			 Population 2,394,912 2,393,143 2,387,016 2,380,168 2,372,525 
			 Practice nurses 805 713 576 713 726 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.34 0.30 0.24 0.30 0.31 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) — — — — 15,166 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population — — — — 6.39 
			 of which:  
			 St. Helens's and Knowsley HA
			 Population 333,706 332,623 331,630 330,392 329,915 
			 Practice nurses 100 95 97 104 106 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.30 0.29 0.29 0.31 0.32 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) 1,594 1,578 1,530 1,561 1,642 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 4.78 4.72 4.61 4.72 4.98 
		
	
	
		
			  1997 1998(52) 1999(52) 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 England   
			 Population 48,635,908 48,789,240 48,986,999 49,166,627 49,389,736 49,558.821 
			 Practice nurses 18,389 18,894 19,495 19,200 19,846 20,983 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.39 0.40 0.42 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) 300,467 304,563 310,142 316,752 330,535 346,537 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.18 6.24 6.33 6.44 6.69 6.99 
			
			 of which:   
			 North West Government Office Region
			 Population 6,800,318 6,793,833 6,770,152 6,769,483 6,767,217 6,770,981 
			 Practice nurses 2,261 2,335 2,566 2,411 2,602 2,616 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.33 0.34 0.38 0.36 0.38 0.39 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) 46,213 46,901 47,672 48,395 48,821 53,373 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.80 6.90 7.04 7.15 7.21 7.88 
			
			 of which:   
			 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA
			 Population 2,365,631 2,361,200 2,350,901 2,349,300 2,349,581 2,347,088 
			 Practice nurses 690 682 794 782 849 905 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.29 0.29 0.34 0.33 0.36 0.39 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) 14,874 15,319 15,766 16,473 17,150 19,091 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.29 6.49 6.71 7.01 7.30 8.13 
			
			 of which:   
			 St. Helens's and Knowsley HA 
			 Population 329,194 328,976 327,852 327,592 — — 
			 Practice nurses 101 115 114 110 111 — 
			 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.31 0.35 0.35 0.34 — — 
			 Qualified nursing staff(53) 1,637 1,607 1,652 1,682 1,795 — 
			 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 4.97 4.88 5.04 5.13 — — 
		
	
	(49) UPEs includes GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.
	(50) Figures for 1992 to 1994 may not be fully comparable with other data due to under-reporting of fundholding practice staff by FHSAs.
	(51) Includes estimated data for Buckinghamshire.
	(52) Headcount practice nurse figures are estimated for these years.
	(53) Refers to qualified nursing staff in the hospital, public health and community health service sectors.
	Notes:
	1. Data as at 1 October 1992–99 and 30 September 2000–02.
	2. A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years.
	3.'—' Accurate comparable information is not available.
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census
	2001 ONS Population Census

Nurses

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 5 January 2004, Official Report, column 203W, on nurse recruitment, if he will list the countries from which his Department has received written representations regarding the recruitment of nurses; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Government has nurse recruitment agreements with Spain, the Philippines, India and Indonesia. A memorandum of understanding has recently been signed with the Government of South Africa.
	The Chinese Government has recently written to the Department to ask for a meeting to discuss opportunities for nurse recruitment.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trusts

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposal to amalgamate the South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust with the South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust.

Rosie Winterton: There is currently no proposal for a formal merger of the two primary care trusts (PCTs). The South East and South West Oxfordshire PCTs have been exploring ways of working more closely together in the delivery of services to their populations. This has included the appointment of a single chief executive and management structure, while retaining separate boards.

Prescription Fraud

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average annual cost of prescription fraud has been in the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The National Health Service Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (NHS CFSMS) has an ongoing programme of highly accurate risk measurement exercises—accurate to plus or minus one per cent.—designed to reveal levels of losses and, through repeated exercises, reduction in such losses, where they take place.
	The latest available data on pharmaceutical patient fraud is shown in the table.
	
		£ million
		
			 Year data selected Fraud losses 
		
		
			 1998–99 117 
			 1999–2000 69 
		
	
	Point of dispensing checks were introduced in all community pharmacies on 1 April 1999 to help deter this type of fraud. The check requires pharmacists to ask patients who are claiming free prescriptions to produce evidence to support their claim to exemption from prescription charges. Later data will be produced shortly.

Private Contractors

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will ensure that private contractors in the NHS will not be able to recruit NHS staff indirectly through private agencies.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 January 2004
	New treatment centres run by the independent sector will be precluded as part of the contracts they sign from poaching National Health Service staff. The recruitment of NHS staff indirectly through private agencies would breach this contract.

Private Contractors

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the staff required by private contractors are expected to come from if they cannot be recruited from the NHS; and what proportion of recruitment is expected to be from abroad.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 January 2004
	The procurement of independent sector treatment centres (IS-TCs) is designed to contribute to a genuine increase in workforce capacity to treat national health service patients. This is why bidders have been asked to provide as many non-NHS staff as possible: primarily from overseas. In some circumstances, it will be appropriate for NHS staff to work in independent sector treatment centres but this will only be done under a structured arrangement that is agreed between the NHS and the IS-TC provider. The number of professional staff working in these new units and the proportion from overseas will be finalised during the stage of negotiations leading to contract close.

Private Contractors (Netcare)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether, over the long-term, Netcare will employ staff that would otherwise have been employed by the NHS.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 January 2004
	As part of its contract, Netcare is required to provide an additional workforce.

Private Contractors (Netcare)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the change in the number of health professionals from South Africa working in the UK as a result of the award of contracts to run fast-track surgery centres to Netcare; and what assessment he has made of the effect of this change on the South African health service.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 January 2004
	Clinical teams working in the independent sector treatment centres from abroad will work on a rotational basis. The exact amount of time spent in the United Kingdom will depend on the contractual agreements made between the provider and its staff. This programme will not recruit clinical staff from existing hospital facilities.
	The new memorandum of understanding between South Africa and this Government recognises the benefit for the South African health care system by offering South African and English healthcare professionals the chance to go on time-limited placements to the other country.

Scrutiny Committees

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum number of local government overview scrutiny committees is that a national service within the NHS could have to report to under the terms of the Health and Social Care Act 2001.

Rosie Winterton: If a National Health Service body is proposing a variation in or development to its services it must consult all the overview and scrutiny committees of those local authorities for which the proposal represents a substantial one.
	A NHS organisation which provides services to the whole country must first establish which of the 150 overview and scrutiny committees (those committees with the powers to scrutinise health services) believe the proposal is substantial for their populations. The NHS body involved need only consult those committees that specify that the proposal is substantial for their own populations. Those committees must form a joint committee to respond to that consultation; and that only joint committee may respond.

Student Nurses

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of student nurses who enrolled for courses in (a) general nursing, (b) paediatric nursing, (c) midwifery and (d) psychiatric nursing successfully completed their course in each year since 1973.

John Hutton: Information for England on the percentage of pre-registration student nurses who have completed their course is shown in the following table. Data is not held before the 1994–95 financial year and has not been collected since October 2001. It is therefore only accurate for cohorts up to 1997–98, most students on subsequent cohorts had not completed courses by October 2001.
	
		Pre-registration student nurses who have completed their course -- Percentage
		
			 Year ofcohort Midwifery Adult Mental health Learning disability Child 
		
		
			 1994–95 75.27 78.18 76.51 70.73 77.43 
			 1995–96 78.13 76.67 74.14 72.67 74.31 
			 1996–97 73.48 75.32 73.05 67.59 74.29 
			 1997–98 74.33 72.27 70.31 65.28 70.42 
		
	
	Note
	This data is based on a snapshot in time of a particular cohort(s) and therefore each year there will still be students who have yet to complete their course.

Student Nurses

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the drop-out rate was in England for student nurses studying (a) general nursing, (b) paediatric nursing, (c) midwifery and (d) psychiatric nursing in each year since 1973.

John Hutton: Most recent information for England on the percentage of pre-registration student nurses who have left their course is shown in the table. Data is not held before the1994–95 financial year.
	
		Pre-registration student nurses who have left their course -- Percentage
		
			  Midwifery Adult Mental health Learning disability Child 
		
		
			 1994–95 22.08 18.87 19.91 25.64 19.66 
			 1995–96 17.43 17.75 20.56 20.29 19.46 
			 1996–97 21.84 18.91 19.58 24.44 20.05 
			 1997–98 18.23 18.82 20.05 21.67 21.95 
			 1998–99 17.17 17.61 16.18 19.74 16.99 
			 1999–2000 14.59 12.45 12.63 14.6 15.86 
			 2000–01 6.7 5.98 6.47 6.48 6.75 
		
	
	Note
	This data is based on a snapshot in time of a particular cohort(s) and therefore each year there will still be students who have yet to complete their course. The last data collection was October 2001 so the attrition rate for the later cohorts is incomplete.

Worcestershire Royal Infirmary

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how much the unitary fee for the Worcestershire Royal Infirmary increases each year; and whether this annual increase was specified in the contract.

Stephen Ladyman: The annual uplift in the unitary fee for Worcestershire Royal Infirmary is specified in the contract.
	The unitary fee is uplifted by the General Index of Retail Prices (RPI) each year, unless the Whitley council pay increase for ancillary staff exceeds this level. In this case, the uplift for pay on the soft service element of the contract (eg., catering and domestic services, etc.) is as per the Whitley council agreement and the non staff costs associated with these soft services is uplifted at RPI less 1 per cent.